Chronicles of Absolution: Light's Evensong
by Kirabaros
Summary: 4.22. It is the final showdown and the moment of truth. For Angela, that means keeping tight to the promise she made as she helps Sam and Dean track down Lucifer and stop the Apocalypse.
1. Chapter 1

**Chronicles of Absolution: Light's Evensong**

 **Chapter 1**

 _The Road So Far…_

… _The rumbling could be felt under her feet as she stared at the column of light that was beginning to grow. It only meant one thing. Lucifer was coming, rising from the cage that had imprisoned him, and that meant the beginning of the end. She knew that there was no way a blade like Absolution would be able to do anything. The only solution was to get out._

 _The dogs had been sent away but the boys were still here. She had to get them out. She urged them to move but they were rooted to their spots. She glanced back at the growing column of light. She sensed that it would be bad if she didn't get them out. She had to get them out. She turned and felt a surge of power from within. She looked at the boys and told them to get out and they were engulfed in light._

… Angela roared in anger as she used her powers to pin the horseman to his car. Her eyes were blazing with anger and her teeth were elongating. She was full out vamping. She gritted her teeth and replied, "You have made thousands of lives miserable. You forced me to repeat this time and time again you sonofabitch."

"And where would you be if I didn't? Sentimentality is wasted on you."

Angela growled and to Sam and Dean it almost sounded feral. She was ready to kill and they wouldn't blame her just yet. "They were a peaceful clan and you forced us to butcher them."

"People don't need much to kill."

… "Sammy? Why have teeth like that?"

Sam looked at Angela who was staring at him with a curious look. She wanted to know and he noticed that an expression was crossing her face. Was she getting nervous and scared? He couldn't tell but he decided to alleviate that look. He beckoned her to come closer and to climb onto his lap which she did willingly. He expected the instant cuddling when she grabbed him around the torso for a hug and couldn't help but smile. He adjusted his grip and said, "Well, Angie, there are some people that are not like me and Dean. You're special."

… "Bad bright light doesn't like it. Says Sammy is his but pretty lady says no." She then frowned in a confused fashion.

Sam listened to what she was saying, his own appetite diminished. As much as he was curious, he wasn't sure if it was a good thing to be pursuing this. "She said no?"

"Yep. I say no. You're my Sammy."

It sounded a bit weird to hear it like that and Sam put it together that she was talking about a memory but it sounded like it belonged to someone else. "You said no?"

"Pretty lady say no. I say like pretty lady," Angela corrected. She stared straight ahead as if to think for a moment and then added, "Can still fix Sammy. You and Deanie."

… Silently he was saying, _But you do Cat. You know everything because you are a part of it._

… "Now listen very closely. Here's what's gonna happen. You're gonna suck it up, accept your responsibilities, and play the roles that destiny has chosen for you."

… "Like the fact that you just exemplified one of your unique talents and in an impressive way," Ares replied in his nonchalant manner. "By the way I knew that you could do it. I expected a demon being put in his place but a ghost… incredible."

… _Know that I only do this because I am sentimental. I like you, sweetheart._

… _The only reason that I'm helping you is because I know a winning horse when I see one._

 _Yeah I'm a prize filly to you…_

… She always was the one to look for alternative means of getting a job done. Often it was barely toeing the line and she crossed it on occasion. She hadn't forgotten those times and those times produced equal love and hate. Hell she met the product of that…

… _… Choices have to be made. Some lead to perdition and some lead to end of old and alone. The question comes down to whether or not one believes that they can hold on till the end and finally not be afraid to open that door…_

… _Isis smiled in return. "She is special on many levels. To me it is like that of a mother and daughter. Her abilities while special are nothing compared to her nature."_

… You are the Malachi of Absolution…

… "Absolution is the earthbound angel that will protect us all…"

… _The cage you sprung Lucifer from is still down there. And maybe… just maybe… you can shove his ass back in._

… _Now here's the big secret and Lucifer himself doesn't even know. But the key to the cage, it's out there. And actually it's keys. Four keys. Well four rings. From the horsemen._

… "You protect your family but not at the expense of who you are." She stopped Angela from speaking and continued, "I know you have knowledge up there and memories that are bloody and things you have to deal with but there is a fine line that you are at. You have to make the choice on whether or not it fight this as who you are or go down the road that you fear the most."

… "So you're willing to die for a pile of cockroaches and a girl who has yet to fully realize who and what she is? Why?"

… "She is perfect no matter what she is and what she does and you wanna know why?" He paused to allow Lucifer to respond if he wanted to. When that didn't happen, he answered his question, "It's because she does what these flawed abortions do. She tries and does forgive."

… "I can't stay here. I know Kizet wants me to because no one knows what I can do but I know I scared a few people. Hell I scare myself because I feel a little charged and it won't go away no matter what I do and once or twice I thought I saw wings coming from me. Faint and shadowy like."

… He took a good look at her face and noted that the shadows gave her a more predatory appearance, like a bird of prey and the effect was added to it with her eyes vamped out, the glittering orbs producing a very intimidating sight…

… The lightning flashed again and Dean noticed that Angela had moved closer. The bird of prey look was still on her and when she moved, the lightning flashed and it was then that he saw a pair of wings coming from his girl. They didn't look like Castiel's but the effect was the same…

… _"I did come here to find you."_

 _Lucifer grinned, "And for what purpose?"_

 _Angela looked at nothing in particular before looking up at the angel and said, "I want you to consider me as a possible vessel." Her look was bold and daring as she looked at Lucifer in the eye even though she felt she was strapped to that chair._

 _"You're serious?"_

 _"I am and you know what I am asking is not unreasonable."_

… "And they wanted to make sure that I'm okay. I mean it's not every day that I 'tear' the veil and practically scare people." She air quoted when she said the word 'tear' since she still wasn't sure about the idea but she did know that she felt different and it wasn't just grief.

… "It doesn't because I meant what I said and was serious when I did the gesture thing. I love you, Angie and… maybe it feels like the worst time ever but… I don't care if it means getting to spend any amount of time with you, making you happy. If I have a lifetime with you, I'll take it. Why are you talking about this?"

Angela watched as Sam rubbed her hand. She always had liked it when he caressed him. She swallowed slightly at that and replied, "Because I've… been thinking about this plan and… even if we do get all four rings and open the door… what do we do then?"

Sam was considered the quick to read between the lines when it mattered. He realized what she had meant and he jumped to conclusions, "No way Angie. I mean it."

"The only way to get Lucifer back in… is to say yes and take control and jump in."

"And there is no way you're saying yes."

… "You're going to let your brother jump right into that fiery pit."

… "I believe you can," Angela repeated. She gave a slight smile before adding, "Different strengths, Sam. And… I don't doubt us but the things that could make life more difficult than it already is." She gave a slight shrug. "But I'm with you."

… "But…" She looked at Sam and said, "It is not as black and white as we like to believe. Sometimes you have to dance with the devil in order to be able to find that one chink in the armor. The real test is not to lose yourself in that quest. Something I think I've failed at."

… "I remember telling you that working together was good for me. And I wasn't lying about that because in the end… I am like any other person and need that contact. But… staying with you and Dean… Bobby… I felt I could change my viewpoint and… my feelings changed. A lot of what I did… was not because of my rules but because… because I love you and I… don't deserve it."

… "You are more deserving of anything good. I've seen it. And… I know what I'm getting into and I make it willingly… Ever since you walked in, even if it was a crappy hand, you've always made it good. I can't think of a time where you haven't said or did anything that made sense when the crap started rolling in… Because I feel alive with you."

… She laid there looking at him in the eye as he put his hand on her abdomen and she reached up and ran her fingers through his hair as he lowered her face towards hers and began kissing her, running his hand up her side. Her hand undid the first of the buttons on his shirt and she tentatively reached in to caress the skin as he teased her abdomen, both knowing where it was going next…

 _Now_

The room was dimly lit but it wasn't a problem. It was perfect. Perfect to keep a specific mood if you were into the emo thing. Perfect to allow for sleep even if the TV was left on. Perfect to work on restringing a guitar that was now sitting on the stand in the corner. Perfect to finished writing the perfect song.

Liam bent over the artist's easel he used when composing music as he serendipitously wrote in a few notes on the staff paper and frowned at it. He rotated on his swivel stool to the piano he had been sitting at the past few days in between the gigs and the job and played what he had just written. He frowned at the melody and hummed a few words that it would go to.

Frowning at that, he turned back to the 'drawing board' and made a few changes and sang the words to his changes. He was so busy, he didn't hear a visitor enter but he smelled them. He waited until they were inside before teasing, "You're gonna have to do better than that if you want to get the drop on your hunter, lass."

Haley pouted at the werewolf as she entered his room. She looked around and found everything was pretty much in the same place he left it when he finished his music gig. He wasn't the spic and span type but everything was kept in its place… organized clutter he called it. She replied, "I am doing just fine on that note."

"Could've fooled me," Liam replied as he made another change and added a few more notes while playing them on his piano. "I take it that you are not here to make a social call."

Haley pursed her lips. She had met the werewolf when she and Dean last parted. She had almost killed him until he used a spell to render her powers neutralized. It was a clever move and he didn't try to hurt her and she felt like an idiot when he showed her his school emblem that all members of the Roslyn Academy Guard carried. Since then they teamed up on a few things here and there. He was her go to when she needed information on things she was hunting and he taught her how to be better at it. She never got his reasons why but she took it and ran with it. "Not really."

Liam hummed as he continued to make his notations. "What is it then? Need more on lore?"

"You know that they have the rings and they are going to try and put Lucifer back in the box," Haley said without beating around the bush. She found direct worked best with the werewolf though he was good at sidestepping and making preambles to anything if he chose to.

"Yes, I know. I even told them where to start looking for Pestilence. Last I heard…" Liam played a couple of notes. Deciding they were good, he worked on the next set of lines and wrote the notes on his paper. "They managed to get it and Chicago is still standing so I am assuming that they have Death's ring too."

"And you don't see it?" Haley frowned at the werewolf as he worked.

"See what? That they will have the problem of actually getting the Morningstar back into hell's kitchen?" Liam's Irish lilt filtered through a bit more heavily as he turned to look at Haley. "Who hasn't?"

"And?"

Liam studied the witch. He knew she knew the answer. He figured it out once the Winchesters mentioned their intentions and it was without his aingeal friend. "And…" He swiveled around back to the piano and played the whole melody he had just written. "And I know that they know this problem but it seems that they have a plan."

"Yeah and that means Sam saying yes."

"Most assuredly, lass," Liam replied playing on the piano. He liked how it sounded and if he put in the guitar and had it sung on stage…

"And that doesn't bother you?"

"Oh I am bothered. I like the Goradh especially since he makes the aingeal so happy. The whole thing has been amusing." Liam finished playing once he played a part that would sound good and turned to write it into the music. He could feel Haley's eyes boring into his back and sighed slightly. "Look, in the end this is going to be hard choices especially for those that have to make them."

"But this is about Sam saying yes," Haley countered. She didn't understand why the werewolf was so calm about this. "This is about losing a friend."

"It's more than that," Liam replied as he wrote a few more notes. This was one of those things that was difficult to explain. He then played them. Satisfied, he decided to play the whole song but not sing it. He wanted to hear it before putting the words to it. He played a few notes and continued, "This is more about taking what has always been assumed, like destiny, and then saying that there is a different way. Maybe not better but the kind that makes the decision easier. It's pretty much what a Champion has to face, love."

"But this isn't like the tournaments I've heard of. Which, by the way, Sam was named a Champion of." Haley watched as Liam played his song. She always wondered how it was he could work on his music while conducting business that was related to hunting and that kind of thing.

"Oh I've heard of that. Actually I was there. I was rooting for Lycan at the time but I was also curious about the human that was trained by the aingeal." Liam looked up and grinned at Haley. "I also saw the show afterward. Something to see a judgment being passed by the gods that created and blessed the Tournament of Souls."

"Okay you've proven that you get around."

"Ah it's expected even with us teachers and guards at Roslyn." Liam was smiling as he came to the chorus of the song he was working on. "We do protect our students but we also want to encourage that we can live together and not in fear and keep things under wraps. It's always easier when you have a friend or a partner that understands your world even if they are not like you."

"Now you're talking about Sam and Angie."

"Not really though they are a good and fun example. The Goradh is very amusing and impressive." Liam raised a finger to make a point as he played the next verse of the song. "And then to get more intimate with the simple things… he impresses the males that would look after the aingeal and the competition."

"Huh?"

"Talking about being the alpha and laying claim. I mean it was obvious to me when we first met but it wasn't to them. That's what made it entertaining."

"Glad to see you like prying into other people's lives for your personal entertainment."

Liam paused and looked at Haley long and hard. He studied her for a moment as he considered something since he didn't want to get too short with her. Finally he said, "Listen, sister. I don't pry into things for shits and giggles. I look out for my friends and check up on them because I care. It is true that there is something about the aingeal that defies logic in most things and even more so with the Winchesters. But her… she's special and I don't mean with what's going on."

Haley felt like she was being berated by a teacher from school the way Liam looked at her. Then again he was a teacher when he wasn't out doing a music tour or on a job. "I get that," she replied in a respectful tone, "But… it's already rough enough that they had to deal with Chuck who is writing about the Winchesters, been writing about them. I read the books too."

"Who hasn't?"

"The point is… it is…"

"No more different than a story being told about you or me, or one of the savants seeing about us in the future. Granted it's not the same as the Seer but… you get the point." Liam went back to playing the piece he was working on and shifted to one he had written a year earlier but hadn't really decided to release it. "And I'm only making sure that they have the job they are taking on to focus on. The other stuff… got it covered."

"Out of the goodness of your heart?"

"Aye and because I like to see good things continue even if it isn't exactly the sunshine and daises happiness."

Haley studied the werewolf as he played the song he had switched to. The melody seemed haunting and lonely like something was looking for something but it didn't know what it was. All it knew was that it was to keep searching. "Song sounds like a sad but happy one."

Liam hummed at that. "I suppose." He leaned over the keyboard as he played the song with feeling.

Haley sighed in agitation. She may have just lost footing with the werewolf. It usually was the case when he had enough and was done talking or giving her something. Yet she knew it was that and the way he dismissed her. Here it looked like he was content to ignore her. Deciding to leave and maybe go see Dean, she headed towards the door.

"You haven't been given leave yet."

Haley turned and sighed, "I think I was given the way you were acting." She glared at the werewolf's back.

Liam continued to play as he thought about what he had learned and kept to himself. There were a lot of things that he knew but gave the impression that he didn't care or was very carefree about things. Mostly it was to fit the role of musician but, like Austin, it was to direct attention away from the fact that he might know something of value. It was how he protected information and people. Misdirection was a gift and a talent and Austin taught him well in a few things and vice versa.

Haley stood there waiting for an answer. She was growing more frustrated that she wasn't getting one and she wanted to leave. She started to turn again when she heard, "It is not for entertainment but for the reasons I listed. There are some that are protectors of the people but there are others who protect the protectors."

Haley frowned at that, "But that doesn't make sense. Wouldn't that start a vicious cycle that is doomed to repeat?"

Liam stopped playing and swiveled to look at the juju witch. "It's true that it doesn't make sense but in a larger sense it does. For people like the aingeal, genuine ones, they give without reward and refuse to let others suffer on their behalf. But there are those who have been saved by someone like her that wish to repay the debt. It's what I'm doing keeping track."

"So it's repaying a favor."

"That and… I can't help it."

Haley frowned, "I don't understand."

Liam ran a hand through his hair. Maybe it was time to share the secret a little. He stood up suddenly and beckoned, "Follow me, lass. I want to show you something." He turned to head toward a door that looked like a closet door.

Haley followed the werewolf after a moment's hesitation. There wasn't any reason not to trust him unless he had her completely fooled. She followed him through the door that she assumed was a closet and into another room. It was a small and cramped room with a writing desk. On it was a book that looked like one of those old leather bound grimoire types. Leaning over, she saw words appearing on it and read a few lines and blinked wide eyed as she just read a description of herself reading it. She looked at Liam.

"Don't ask cause I have no clue. It's not a Prophet but it is someone who has been writing the last four years on everything regarding a certain aingeal." Liam gestured at the book. "And I have been keeping it, letting it write."

"But…"

"This is what I meant protecting the protector. I know her like you know them and how they would feel." Liam glanced at the book and put a hand on it. His fingertips stroked the edges of the paper. "This is a story that began before it was written lass and this is but a small piece of it. What is written here tells not only what is to happen but what has happened and the things that are. It is the story of life. Maybe the beginning is like someone being born or maybe it is when the first words were written in this book. This one began with the start of a relationship and maybe it is right that the beginning of the end begins with the start of another."

* * *

 **A/N:** Looks like Liam has something that tells the story and we are down to the wire and counting down to the showdown with Lucifer. Stay tuned for more Light's Evensong...


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The first rays of light were starting to stretch over the horizon but it wasn't a bright sunny day. It was rather grey outside but still the wakening of a new day as it began to reach in and touch the glass of the window. Sam stirred slightly as if sensing the light coming in. He had always been a bit of an early riser ever since getting back into the swing of things with hunting and it became a force of habit and then later an excuse. Glancing down, he knew why.

Smiling slightly Sam cushioned the back of head with his left hand as he watched Angela sleeping, her head resting on his bare torso and her arm wrapped around him, sound asleep. Her dark hair covered her bare shoulder and draped down covering his other arm as it wrapped around her body, his fingers caressing her bare skin gently.

It was not expected since he had gone with the intention of clearing the tension and it ended up being… something more. He wasn't complaining. It was something he had wanted as much as she. He just didn't wanted to do it if she wasn't willing or ready to. But she was by kissing him on his neck. He moved his head slightly and felt the pulled and dull throb on the left side of his neck near where the collar bone met his shoulder and remembered.

He had told her it was okay; that she didn't need to fear him and to not resist. He had felt her hesitate and gasping for breath and he whispered that to her. He felt her teeth graze his skin and then pierce it. It was quick but… it felt good. It felt so good that he ended up biting her in the same place on her left shoulder. That reminded him he needed to check her neck. He had bitten her hard enough to draw blood; he had felt the tang of blood on his tongue. He just didn't want to move. He was content lying there with her.

He was distracted when he felt a soft breath on his chest and a gentle tickle. He realized it was her finger tracing the anti-possession tattoo. He looked down and studied her and her hand as her fingertips moved. He considered teasing her and grabbing her hand but decided against it. He was content just watching her. He adjusted his body slightly but nothing to indicate wakefulness and continued to watch her while his other hand gently brushed her bare skin as it did before.

She continued to trace his anti-possession tattoo until she paused and ran her hand down his chest, pausing just below the breast. Sam watched her as she adjusted her body to dig further into his body warmth. He couldn't help but smile at that since she always was a cuddler and it was a bit funny since most people never saw this side of her.

Suddenly he felt her fingers move and he jumped slightly since it tickled. He made a slight groaning sound and looked down and found her looking at him with a slight smirk but it was sleepy. She paused in what she was doing and said, "Your thoughts are loud."

Sam pulled with his arm wrapped around her and hugged her close. "Yeah they are," he replied as he reached up and caressed her cheek. He brushed her hair aside, exposing the right side of her neck and ran his fingers along her neckline and down her bare shoulder. "Cause I'm looking at the most beautiful woman, the one I love and I was thinking how cute she is when she sleeps." He grinned at her.

Angela narrowed her eyes playfully and started tickling Sam on his chest where she had been earlier and giggled when he started to squirm especially when she touched where she had stitched up his stab wound years before. "And did anyone tell you that you look cute when you sleep?"

Sam groaned at that as he adjusted his grip on her body. She had stopped tickling him and was looking down at him with a smile. "You are beautiful," he said.

"Flatterer."

"Honest truth."

Angela smiled at that as she reached up and started running her fingers through his hair and murmured, "Always."

Sam hummed at that and pulled her down to kiss her. He closed his eyes when she pressed her forehead against his. He ran his hand, his fingertips brushing her skin down her spine and then ran them along the edge of her shoulder blade. Shifting his head he kissed her on her temple and felt her lips seek his out. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Angela murmured, "And thank you." She pulled back and looked down at Sam. She caressed his cheek as she pressed her lips to his.

Sam responded and reached to pull her close. He rolled over to pin her to the bed. He paused to make sure he didn't startle her but she looked up at him with a smile as she ran her hands along his lower back. Leaning forward he pressed his lips to hers, feeling her hands start to grip his body.

It was sometime later after a shower that proved to be more than a shower that found Sam on the hood of the Impala with Angela leaning against him in contentment dressed in the same clothes she had worn from Karnak. She had changed the sash and the body forming shirt had her sigils embroidered on the cuffs. Otherwise it was pretty much the same but that didn't matter to Sam. She was beautiful no matter what. She had left her hair down but held back with a lock of hair that was braided across like a headband. He grinned recalling how that happened.

"Never knew you liked playing with my hair."

Sam cleared his throat at that, "Um well… I had to uh… make sure it wasn't tangled when you were uh…" He paused when she pressed into his side. It felt like when she used to crawl into his lap. He wrapped his arm around her.

"Seems like the shoe was on the other foot. You had to take care of me instead of the other way around," Angela murmured.

"I didn't mind," Sam admitted, "I… kind of liked it. And you were cute." He looked at her and grinned.

"Be glad that I like you so much," she teased back and allowed Sam to give her a kiss. She settled against him and stared at nothing in particular, basking in contentment just being next to him.

Sam felt he same way as he held her close. Yet there was a lot on his mind. Some of it going back to what he and Dean talked about. It… did seem bad timing to move forward in their relationship but… he didn't regret it. He just hated the fact that it seemed like he was going to cut and run on her if they did the last shot they had. It wouldn't be fair to her but…

"I don't regret this Sam," her voice entered softly.

Sam shifted to look at her. He studied her as she turned her gaze towards him. He took in her serious and yet gentle expression. "I don't, either. I just… don't think it's fair to you."

"And it's not fair to you but… I meant what I said," Angela replied and looked out at the scenery before looking back at him. "I'll stand by you. No matter what you do. If you do say yes to Lucifer and jump in… I am with you." She reached for his hand and held it in hers. "Always and forever."

Sam watched her take his hand and hold it. He had said the same thing. He was willing to take whatever moments he could but… Then she said it. She was willing to take a chance despite the heartache or anything that was opposite of good that headed her way. Despite what she thought of herself, she was willing to take a chance and he was too. He moved his hand to wrap his fingers around hers. "Always and forever," he agreed.

Angela sighed in contentment and brought his hand up to rub it against her face. "And I believe in you. Always have." She kissed his hand and turned back to lean against him.

Sam waited until she leaned against him to just look at her. It was the same no questions asked faith she had shown even as a child. It baffled him that she was so trusting of him despite everything he had done. She trusted him even when she turned the tables onto her with things like knowing about the lycanthrope cure and making her seem like she wasn't the one worthy of anything. It had always baffled him how she so hated herself to the point that she would willingly give her life to make things right and still convince people her life wasn't worth saving and yet she never hesitated to help someone in need no matter what. He hated that she thought so little of herself but he loved her selfless ways and it encouraged him to pursue a relationship with her.

Now things were different. He didn't plan on them having sex like they did. It was funny how it took the end of the world to make you realize that one truly didn't have all the time in the world. Thinking about it, Angela had been telling him and Dean that by her example and they should have listened to that. Better late than never and he was going to enjoy every moment he had with her. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her head before adjusting his position.

They sat there in companionable silence until Angela professed the need for a drink. She teased him for a moment that she wanted something more 'lively'. He thought it was a bad joke on her end and she agreed. In the end all she wanted was a beer and he obliged pulling out the ice chest and putting it on the ground near the car. Being a gentleman, he popped hers before his and climbed back onto the car just in time to hear her chuckling and he had to ask, "What's so funny?"

"Oh just remembering all the times I had a drink," Angela replied as she took a sip of her beer. "You know I never really liked beer. I prefer whiskey but I really enjoy wine."

"Figured since I saw you down three glasses of port like whiskey," Sam replied as he sipped his beer.

"The de Medici had a palazzo that had a vino. I remember spending summers there with my mother," Angela admitted as she held her beer. She ran her fingers along the lip of the bottle. She smiled softly, "She claimed that it was to teach me more about being a de Medici when in truth, it was so she could see father. She was lucky that Uncle Lorenzo understood and let her stay at the villa."

"You loved it there," Sam stated.

Angela nodded and took a sip. "Mmm-hmm. It was where I learned about my family and developed my artistic side. True I had lessons in Florence that was a boy's education and that of a young lady, but I learned more at the villa." She paused a moment before adding, "My first training home with my father was a villa in Tuscany. It was where I first met Gabriel. He nearly deafened everybody but me and I told him to shut up."

Sam chuckled at that. "I don't have a hard time believing that."

"Well I was pissed that he hurt my father and he was lucky Firenze wasn't damaged." She paused and saw Sam's inquiring look. She chuckled and explained, "Firenze was my horse. He was given to me on my birthday. I raised him from a colt since I was the only one that wasn't afraid of his irascible nature."

"Seems that you have a knack for things that are mean old bastards."

"More like they find me." Angela paused and then said, "I wish he was still alive. He would like you and Dean." She leaned against Sam thoughtfully.

"Who? Your father?"

"Yep. He would have probably did the whole vamp act to try and scare you but… he would have liked you both. Maybe not the kind to get involved with his daughter." She paused when she heard Sam snort at that. She smiled as she continued, "But the fact that you are a hunter and have a brain… he would make an exception."

Sam snorted at that and joked, "And I suppose I would have had to ask permission to court you."

"Yep and you would have been paraded in front of the family and the old biddies would have kept a close watch so you didn't do anything inappropriate. Nothing to sully my virtue." Angela giggled at that thought. She knew that if that did happen, it would have driven both Winchesters crazy since they would have been forced to follow the conventions of the day. "Mother would have been a bit more lenient but in private. In public, she probably would have dropped those side reminders or give the look."

"Sounds like asking you out is more dangerous in your time than it is now," Sam replied trying not to shudder at the thought that he would be that scrutinized."

"Maybe more moral but there weren't saints in my time either."

"You know I wouldn't do anything like that," Sam countered and looked at her.

"I know," Angela replied with a knowing smile. "It would have been fun to watch and you'd get a chance to see me in a dress of the time."

"I did. Chuck's painting of you."

"You got me there."

They laughed gently together as they drank their beers in silence. Sam was glad to hear more about her life when she was a girl. He was curious from a historic perspective but also personally interested because it was a part of her life. It was what shaped her to be who she was. He certainly knew she could sound like a sailor no matter what language it was in. She certainly let it be known last night when she gave a litany in her native Italian. It gave the meaning of romance to the romance languages.

Sam would have said something but footsteps caught his attention. He shifted to see his brother sidle up. "Hey."

Dean had been in thought all night; he almost didn't sleep. He had been thinking about what Death had told him and what he wanted him to do. It was what he had been wrestling with as he played with the four horsemen rings and put them together to form the key. He also had a heart to heart with Bobby. Now he was coming to terms with what he knew needed to be done but he was reluctant to say anything. At the moment he just wanted to be near his brother and his best girl. Pulling out a beer from the ice chest, he leaned against the Impala and sighed as he opened his bottle slowly.

"Dean?"

Dean heard Angela's soft voice permeate the air. It was that tone that made him want to fess all. It was the tone that said she was willing to listen to whatever he had to say. If he had to make a comparison, he'd say it was the tone that a mother would use to comfort their child and that was how she was with them.

"What's going on, Dean?" Sam had shifted to look at his brother when he didn't respond to Angela's query.

Dean leaned against the car, not sure how to say it. He was about to say the most difficult thing he was ever going to say and… "I'm in."

There was a moment of silence as Sam processed what his brother was saying. He had a suspicion of what he meant but he wanted to be sure. He clarified, "In with what?"

"The whole 'up with Satan' thing," Dean replied finally turning to look at his brother. "I'm on board."

Sam sat up at that declaration. He wasn't sure he heard Dean right but he heard it and he felt Angela's hand on his upper arm and she gave it a gentle squeeze. He asked, "You're gonna let me say yes?"

"No. That's the thing." Dean knew he was going to have to explain things. It was a matter of finding the words. "It's not me to _let_ you do anything. You're a grown, well _overgrown_ , man." He looked away. He now understood why Angela did that a lot. It was easier to say something when you didn't look at the person. "If this is what you want, I'll back your play." He turned to look back at Sam.

Letting the words sink in, Sam replied, "That's the last thing I thought you'd ever say."

"Might be." Dean hadn't failed to hear his brother chuckle slightly. They did know each other fairly well. They knew their tendencies and… They were family after all. "I'm not gonna lie to you though. It goes against every fiber I got."

"It's against anyone's being no matter what," Angela said softly. She looked at her lap before looking at the back of Dean's head. "And… it never gets any easier."

Dean allowed himself a small smile. Of course Angela would know. She knew what was at stake more than they did and she still was willing to hold out unless there was no recourse. He wondered how many times she had to make that choice and marveled how she could live after making it. Pursing his lips, he said, "I mean, the truth is… you know watching out for you Sam… it's kinda been my job, you know? But more than that, it's… it's kinda who I am."

Sam would have said something but he sensed that it was something that Dean needed to get off his chest. So he remained quiet to let him speak. He was grateful for Angela's touch and he sensed that she knew Dean needed to speak and was silent herself. She always seemed to know what needed to be said or not said. He gave the floor to Dean.

Grateful that he wasn't being interrupted, Dean continued, "You're not a kid anymore, Sam. And I can't keep treating you like one." He looked up from where he had been looking at the ground before adding, "And maybe I got to grow up a little too. I don't know if we got a snowball's chance but… but I do know that if anybody can do it… it's you."

It was more than Sam could expect from his brother. And it was what he needed to hear. He knew that Angela believed in him but he needed to hear from his brother that he believed as well. Feeling the load on his shoulders become a little lighter, he replied, "Thank you."

"If this is what you want…" Dean paused. He remembered his conversation earlier with Sam. He may have been a little harsh about it but… "Is this _really_ what you want?" He turned to look full on his brother.

Sam sighed deeply at that. It wasn't what he wanted but… he knew it was the right thing to do. That was his driving force. "I let him out," he said with a sigh. "I got to put him back in."

To Dean that didn't seem like an adequate answer. He knew that it wasn't what Sam wanted. Not after what he told him to his face. And yet Sam was taking responsibility for his actions no matter how painful the end result was going to be. Maybe his brother had a lot of time to think about this which was why he gave the answer he did. There was nothing to do but accept that. "Okay. That's it then."

There was nothing more to say. Dean raised his beer to take a sip and looked downward at the ground. He barely noticed when he felt Angela's hand on his shoulder and her gently squeezing it in understanding. Of all people she would understand the most his position. She admitted it herself that she followed his number one rule but it was modified. It had been since she started keeping an eye on him and Sam as they grew up and then later when she joined them. And she understood better the ramifications of what they were going to do.

Knowing that, Dean couldn't help but reach up and squeeze the hand that was squeezing his shoulder. It was his silent thanks to her though she probably needed to hear it more. He really was lousy in that department considering how he had treated her the last few years.

"You know I once heard a traveling bard sing a tale about courage, that it was the strongest thing out there," Angela spoke up. "Something about that it is what is found deep down despite the odds."

"A traveling bard?" Dean couldn't help but turn to look at Angela with a raised brow. He had the feeling that she was making a point here and in that way of hers that would probably have most people scandalized since it seemed like she had no respect for the severity of the situation. He knew better though and so did Sam.

"A traveling song man. Entertainers that just wandered around. Different from minstrels," Angela clarified.

"How so?"

Angela hummed at that, not sure how they both would take it but then decided to say, "Well… apart from singing and telling stories, they were also good at other things. Things that would probably be the envy of clandestine operations."

"Spies?"

"Spies, assassins… skilled storytellers and in a way it made sense since the roads they traveled that day were dangerous and they knew that the most valuable commodity was secrets and the like. The grand game was the playground," Angela elaborated as she recalled a few bards she had met in her youth. One was a particularly bad singer but his purpose was for something different. "But that's beside the point. The story is."

"I figured," Dean grumbled. His tone was rough but his slight smile told the truth.

"Yes," Angela countered in good humor. It was probably the strangest of times to be mentioning this but then again her methods were never conventional and sometimes the silliness had a point. "The tale spoke of courage, the facing of what a person fears the most even if it is a snowball's chance and that it overcomes anything."

"And you think that applies?"

"Just a thought." Angela gave a slight smirk before pinching Dean's cheek in that familiar way she had been allowed. She twisted to slide off the hood and stretch. "Besides, it kind of applies to life. Getting up even when you think you can and just taking one more swing… Kind of makes you think you can do anything."

Dean watched as Angela walked over towards the shed. Maybe she was right on that account. She was never one to come straight out and say what was on her mind unless it really bothered her. Mostly she spoke in riddles or proverbs or sayings. Part of it was she believed that true wisdom was earned, not given. And part of it was because she knew it annoyed him but he was a bit masochist with it and always walked right into it. This time, she was making a point and he had to agree with her. "She seems optimistic," he observed.

Sam had been silent and in thought while Angela had been talking to Dean but he heard everything. He watched her as she entered the shed and muttered absently, "Yeah."

Dean looked at his brother and then noticed how Sam was watching her. He raised his brow, not sure of it but he had his suspicions. He decided to leave it alone for the moment and continued, "I mean she's gotta know that this is… probably the end."

"She does, and she sees a chance," Sam replied. He looked down at the beer in his hands and then took a sip. "She believes."

Dean pondered that. He knew that it wasn't just because it was Sam. She truly believed they could pull this off. Was this what it meant to have faith? He had been having a crisis of faith lately but always there she was saying and doing the right thing at the right moment. "Let's hope it's enough," he said as he took another sip of his beer.

* * *

 **A/N:** And we pick up right where we left off with Sam and Angie. Yeah they did the deed and Dean comes to terms with Sam offering to jump into the cage with Lucifer. Stay tuned for more Light's Evensong...


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"You notice anything weird about those two?"

Bobby looked up from where he was researching for any signs of demonic activity and turned to see Sam and Angela huddled together. It looked like they were just putting gear bags together but he did notice something different about it. He didn't miss the covert hand holding and started putting two and two together especially since he didn't see either of them the night before. Making a decision, he said, "Nothing more than usual."

Dean turned back in time to see Sam pull Angela off to the side and out of view. He could call Bobby out on it since he was sure that the grizzled hunter suspected a few things. But it seemed like he was not going to kiss and tell on that. It didn't surprise him since Bobby loved Angela like a daughter and would rather kiss a demon, well he did, than do or say anything about her. "Maybe you're right," he said with a shrug. He turned to lean on Bobby's desk, "So, got a lead?"

Bobby eyed Dean with suspicion. As much fun as it would be to tease Sam about his love life, he didn't feel the need to. As far as he could tell, they needed all the time they could get since Dean was now on board with Sam saying yes and jumping in. He wasn't going to begrudge them that and he wasn't going to let Dean do or say anything unless either one of them wanted to. He replied, "I might have some leads." He pulled up a map and gestured a few spots on the map. "Omens around this cluster right over here."

Dean studied the map. He was well aware of demonic omens and how they worked. It looked like a sure fire bet and he was willing to trust Bobby's judgment. It would take them at least a day to get there even driving at the speed he could.

"Any reason why we can't just ask Angie to summon a couple of demons?"

Dean looked up and then at Bobby, "No. Can't ask her to do that."

"Why not? She can summon a stoolie."

Dean had to admit that Bobby was right. She could summon a few demons; she had the know-how and she could always be prepared. It would be easy to do that, drain them and have enough demon blood for Sam to guzzle so this would work. Yet… "No Bobby. We'll just have to make do with what you got there."

Bobby looked at Dean before gesturing at the map. "Well that's what I got. You wanna let the cavalry know?"

"Know what? You found a nest?"

Dean turned to see Angela standing in the doorway to the study looking at them expectantly. He got a good look at her and noticed that she was wearing the same thing when Crowley brought her back from Karnak. He thought it looked good on her and could see why Sam felt the same appeal. "Yeah uh…"

Angela stepped into the study to take a look at the map. She studied the map and nodded, "I'd say you're right. As always Bobby." She grinned at the elder hunter.

"Well it's not like I'm an amateur."

"No but you're the man of knowledge." Angela grinned and chuckled at Bobby. "Not to mention a pretty decent chef when he wants to be. Even if his pantry is full of things unsuitable…"

"Don't you be telling me the state of my pantry. I have a system ya idjit," Bobby groused, enjoying the good humor she was showing. It had been awhile and it was a sign to him that she was not being worn down by things. It always was a marvel that she could strive to be cheerful even when she must be feeling the weight of things.

"Oh like someone with his laundry?" Angela raised her brow and smirked at Dean.

"And it works," Dean pouted but couldn't help but smirk.

Angela returned the smirk with a smile. She turned a looked at the map. "So, are we going to go?" She looked at the pair.

"Yeah," Dean replied with a nod. "Load up and head on out."

Angela studied the pair and noted their expressions. She raised her brow and asked, "Are you two okay?"

Dean shuffled a little nervously, "Well uh…"

"Why are you being so peppy today?" Bobby asked the question since he wanted to know too though he had a good idea why.

"Yeah, that," Dean added trying not to squirm.

Angela looked at the pair of them with a slight frown. "Is this about the story I told you of the traveling bard because there was a point to that." She raised her brow at them. "You did get the point did you?"

"You told him about the bard?" Bobby frowned at that.

Angela shrugged her shoulders, "Made the point."

"Wait, you know about the bard?"

"The bard isn't the point," Angela interrupted and waved her arms to dispel that. It seemed like a good idea at the time and it did have a point. She sighed to keep calm about everything. "The point is that you two are looking really uneasy. Is it something I did?"

"No," both replied.

Dean decided to take the reins on this and continued, "It's just that you seem… different."

Angela frowned and looked at her. "Oh, this is from Karnak. I like it and it's comfortable." She dusted herself off to straighten her covering. "It looks medieval but it has its perks."

"Not that," Dean explained and tried to find the right words.

"Oh balls, did you and Sam…" Bobby paused at what he was going to say feeling embarrassed at what next was going to come out of his mouth.

Angela realized what they were getting at. It was enough to make her laugh since the way they were looking at her was comical. She was aware that she should be indignant at the insinuation and telling them to mind their business. She knew that Sam would and had plenty of times towards Dean. She gave a slight smirk and replied, "What Sam and I do is our business. Let's leave it at that."

Dean felt the blush rising on his face and cleared his throat. "Didn't want to know."

"Don't lie," Bobby groused.

Angela smirked at them and put her hands behind her back. She twirled slightly on her feet like a little girl to let her overlay flare slightly and the ends of the sash flared. She was well aware that she sounded and looked really perky for the situation. Maybe she was still riding on the high from the night she and Sam had and it was kept alive by the kisses he gave her while they were packing the gear they would need.

In truth, she kept the cheer because it was serious business what they had to do. She knew that blood needed to be spilled and the most difficult thing anyone could do was going to go down and it basically decided the fate of the world. Sighing she said, "I know this is a serious business but… It's something I learned from experience. If all you see is despair then that it is all it will ever be. But if you see light at the end of the tunnel…"

"Then you can see the way out," Dean finished. He still had misgivings about the whole thing. It was as he admitted to Sam earlier that it was going against every fiber of his being.

"They call it hope," she replied with a slight smile, "And it's not a bad thing." She looked at Bobby and Dean and smiled. She held her hands behind her back and twisted slightly. "You know there are three things that matter the most." She held up three fingers.

Dean was quiet as he watched her. She was different and it wasn't a bad thing. Then again she never really changed. She had a point and was probably still making it from earlier.

"And what are those?" Bobby couldn't help but ask. He was used to her manner of springing up a lesson or so. "And can you not do the whole mysterious thing?"

Angela knew Bobby was humoring her. She was well aware that Dean was still not sure about the whole thing. The best she could do was give how she felt. "I'll give you two which you know of: faith and hope."

"That's it?" Dean raised his brow.

"Yep. I could go all science like and quote Occam's Razor; that the best explanation is usually the simplest." She looked at Dean and then Bobby. "I like to think that there's a little bit of courage in everyone and just by believing in it… well… you get the point." She turned to head out. "I'll let Sam and Cas know we got a place."

Dean watched as she left to go find his brother and their de-winged angel. Bobby sighed, "Well can't go wrong with that."

Dean felt his lip twitch slightly, "Guess not. Can't really get her down."

"Nah she's trying real hard," Bobby said as he turned to pack things up. Since after they get the demons, they had to track where the devil is. At Dean's look he added, "Just that she's feeling the same as you are. She's scared about what is to come."

"I know," Dean muttered slightly. "Enough to not let anyone see it. So all we see is that happy face or her… jumping in." He frowned a bit and looked in the direction she had gone. Something was up.

* * *

"This a bad time?"

Angela looked up from where she was sharpening her knife and smiled at her visitor. "Only bad if you get the business end of this." She put down the knife and turned her full attention to her visitor. It was then she noticed something. "Something troubling you Sam?"

Sam cleared his throat slightly. He should have known that she would have picked up on that. And there were some things he wanted to talk to her about in private. "Nothing… uh…"

Angela took a couple of steps forward and reached up to caress his locks. She realized that before she would have been hesitant about it. Now… she felt unrestricted knowing that Sam didn't mind and almost seemed to revel in her touch. "You can tell me you know. I've got a thicker skin than most."

It had meant to be teasing but Sam didn't see it that way. "Angie…"

Angela paused and put her hand down and clasped her hands in front of her. "Sam… I am only teasing. I'm human too. Well… half human. Don't feel that you have to mince words for me. I'd rather have your honesty than anything else."

Sam studied her for a moment before replying, "Even if it may hurt you?"

"Especially that," Angela replied with sincerity. She was still fearful of what Sam could say or do that would be hurtful but deep down, she knew he would hurt worse if the time they had left were to be tainted by lies even if they were done in kindness. "You said I didn't need to be afraid with you. Don't be afraid with me."

Sam nodded at that as the full weight of her words hit him. He still would try to lighten the blow since he thought she deserved better. He just didn't want to leave her with sadness. "Well uh…" He looked up at her and noticed she had relaxed her posture to make him more comfortable to speak. "It's about… the whole plan."

"I'm listening."

"You… you know that when I do this… I'm not coming back."

Angela knew that. He was saying yes to the devil in order to get him back into the cage. She had a feeling of where this was going. "It is a leap literally into hell."

Sam gave her a look. This was the hardest thing he was ever going to tell her. "It means that… once it's closed… you have to leave me down there. Don't go poking at the cage."

Angela stared at Sam. She understood what Dean was getting at when this whole plan rallied against every fiber of her being. What Sam was saying… it was the exact same thing. She replied softly, "You know that I will fight against that."

"You can't go poking at it Angie. Lucifer… he's too. It's too risky for you to be poking it."

"Just to let you know… I don't believe it is the end." Angela felt the need to say that.

"I know which is why I want you to promise me you won't do anything to open the cage." Sam stared at her. He could guess that she was already coming up with ways and means to get to hell and to open the cage. He'd be damned if she tried anything that would result in a deal.

"Sam…" Angela looked away as she shook her head. She was hoping that it didn't come to this.

"I mean it," Sam replied and he reached out and grabbed her hand. "You can't go poking at the cage to open it. You… have to let me go."

Angela looked down at his hands clasping onto hers. She stared at them as she replied, "You are asking for something that I can't do."

"But it's something you have to do." Sam knew he was going to have a fight on his hands with this and he hadn't even had words with Dean yet. He wanted to have them with her now so that she didn't have to react on impulse. "This… this isn't fair, I know and I… I regret not saying anything sooner but…"

"I can't just let you go," Angela replied, interrupted. She used her other hand and with the fingertips, traced his hand, feeling along the contours, noting the scars from use and injury, everything that made those hands his. "I haven't since we first met. I watched but when Dean and then you and then Dean again died… I fought because I didn't want to let it lie. I can't let this lie. There is always a way."

"Not this time and you know it." Sam swallowed slightly the moment he said that. He knew that he might be hurting her feelings but she asked for this. He could do her that courtesy.

"I refuse to believe." Angela looked up and stared at Sam with that battle-hardened look she got when she was the dog with the bone. "If there is a way then I will find it. You know me."

"I know and that's why I am asking you not to do this." Sam returned the look with one of his own. "I want you to promise not to go poking at the cage."

Angela stared at Sam in their silent battle of wills. She knew that it was risky to poke at the cage and yet she was determined to. But Sam was also right. It was too risky to poke at it. She could risk setting Lucifer free again and that was something that she didn't want to happen. "And what do you want me to do?"

"Live, Angie. Do what you want for yourself, not for someone else. For you." Sam looked at her with a firm look as he held onto her hand. He was about to wither when she started stroking his hand and give in but he held on. "For you."

Angela swallowed as she looked at their joined hands. This was one of the more harder promises she had to make and she knew that if she made it, she would be bound by it. Her word was her bond in many things as it had been over the centuries. It was what made people willing to listen even if they would rather spit at her if they were pissed. She could do this. "Alright." She looked up to look Sam in the eye. "I promise."

"Do I need to make you swear like Dad did?" Sam didn't want to lay that on her but he wanted to make sure.

"No," she offered softly. "You don't because I will honor what you ask. I promise not to do anything to poke and open the cage."

"And live."

"And live." Angela had no idea why he was so insistent upon this. As far as she was concerned, there would be no other.

Sam was somewhat relieved that she wasn't going to do anything rash. He didn't want her live pining for him. She deserved to be free from all of this and he was giving that to her. It was the greatest thing he could give considering everything he had done to her. Satisfied at her promise, he nodded and leaned forward and gently grasped her lips with his own and kissed her gently and firmly. He held onto her hand as he finished the kiss. "Thank you," he whispered.

Angela made a sound of acknowledgement but she didn't have anything to say. She couldn't say anything but basked in what she had in the moment there. She let him break the kiss and stepped back as he turned to go finish what he had been doing earlier. She watched him leave silence feeling his lingering touch.

"You don't intend to let this go."

Angela made a slight face when she heard the familiar voice and caught the scent. Sighing she replied, "Seems like you picked up the trade of servants, Kess. Or did you pick that up from Cas?" She turned around to see Kesset standing there looking ever much like the guardian and he was flanked by Castiel who was looking a little guilty.

Kesset gave a slight smile at Angela and replied, "I have to resort to those old tricks in order to keep an eye on you princess. And I'm sure Castiel has had to as well."

"Only when necessary. And that was often," Castiel admitted. He shuffled on his feet before adding, "But Sam is right. It is too risky for you to try anything you decide."

Angela crossed her arms over her chest as she looked at her two guardians. One was looking more disapproving and willing to be defiant while the other was looking uncomfortable but also looking a little disapproving. "And do you both have so little faith in me?"

"Considering that you have a tendency to say one thing and do another…" Kesset countered as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You made a promise, princess."

Angela stared at them both. She knew that they would have something to say. Sighing she replied, "I did and I aim to keep it. I won't try to open the cage. I won't do anything to open it to get Sam out."

"It is good that you know this," Castiel replied, "The risk is too great and… Forgive me but it would be selfish of you." He looked away not willing to look her in the eye.

Angela watched the angel. What he said, it was pretty harsh hearing it but it was the truth. She knew that from previous times; the means she used to get Sam back the first time by getting involved with the deal and then getting Dean back… those were selfish reasons. They were decided by means of the heart. Even then she had feelings for them but then she acknowledged it as a debt to John and Mary; a promise and because she deigned to care again.

Glancing at Castiel she replied, "You're right. It is selfish."

Castiel looked up and noticed her demeanor had changed. He was familiar with this and Kesset knew as well. Castiel postured, "Angela…"

"It would be selfish not to mention putting billions of innocents in danger." Angela turned to look at the landscape of the salvage yard. She kept her arms crossed over her chest as she looked out over everything. "After all, it is not what the Malachi of Absolution stands for. And it's why I have just as many enemies as I do friends."

"That is not true," Castiel protested as he took a step forward. "You always strove to protect them."

"That is hardly the case when it involved them." Angela turned back to give a slight smile at the angel and Avian as she gave a slight gesture to where the Winchesters were waiting with Bobby. She turned to put her gear into the bag to be carried. "I admit that my first reaction to go and help them first if they are in trouble. Always was despite how often I was my moniker the Ice Bitch to them. You could say they grew on me as did others that persisted."

Angela glanced at them and finished. They merely stared at her. It seemed that they were concerned that she was going to do something. "Make no mistake that I do protect what I hold dear and very few that is if you look over my life. But I do understand that there are things that I can't stop no matter what. Maybe that was a lesson regarding fate or destiny but… it is true that you can't save those that don't want to be saved. The best that can be done is to respect their wishes and try."

"Will you try to respect Sam's wishes?" Kesset had stepped forward. He was aware that he had become bolder since becoming her guardian. She had given him that and encouraged it. It still felt awkward and he lived wondering if he had overstepped his bounds. Yet he got the feeling that she would let him know if he had.

Angela straightened up and looked at the pair. She approached Kesset and put a hand on his shoulder as a warrior would do to a comrade. "Kess, as an initiate of the oath of veracity, you know that when I give my word, I give it. And I don't take that lightly."

"I am concerned," Kesset replied as he studied her for some form of deceit. He hated that he was heading towards that way but he knew that she always had a way out of things. It was how she thought. He noticed Castiel straightening up and giving her a look that puzzled him.

"Don't be," she replied with a slight smile. "If anything, I've learned to adapt." It was a blatant lie there since there were periods where it was almost self-destructive. "Or most would say I'm a survivor."

"That does not invoke confidence," Castiel inserted as he stood tall and firm. He may not have his angel mojo anymore but he could still evoke a presence of a sort.

Angela turned to look at the angel. "Cas, thought you understood me after all these years," she replied with a grin. Looking at the pair of them she made it clear one more time. "I promise I am going through with Sam's wishes. I won't poke at the cage. Trust me." She gave a slight frown at them before picking up her gear to head to the car. She paused and turned back towards them, "I do expect you Kess to look after what is mine too."

Kesset pursed his lips as he watched her walk away. His gaze became stern as he said, "She is up to something."

"That is an understatement," Castiel agreed. He knew she would keep her word but there was something else going on. Until he knew what that was, he was going to have to trust her. "But we have little choice and… I trust her to keep her word."

* * *

 **A/N:** In between moments including Sam making Angie promise what he wants Dean to do but it seems like she is up to something. Stay tuned for more Light's Evensong...


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The building was nondescript as they pulled up to it. Angela put her hand on Zeppelin and Moira as she sat in the back seat and looked at it. Zeppelin was growling low in his throat along with his sibling and their fur was rising. Looking out she said, "I think Bobby's right on this one. Demons."

Dean glanced in the back to see the dogs looking at the door, ready to charge out and tackle whatever was in there. No doubt Xander and Cerebus were ready too and he wondered how Bobby was keeping a hold on them. "They do know that we need them alive right?"

"Just tell them that and they will do it," Angela reminded Dean about their ability to understand a direct order as well as the trained commands of whistles and gestures. "Though it is probably not a good idea to let them in." She paused a moment and looked at the Winchesters and Castiel before adding, "I could do it."

"What?" Dean looked at her like she was out of her mind.

"I can do," she repeated. She then further explained, "I can go in, strap them in and drain them. It's… nothing I haven't done before and I can do it with not a whole lot of mess."

It was hardly the time to be getting squeamish over the mess that blood could make. They all had seen it and caused it at one point. There was more to the assertion than what was being spoken and the Winchesters had an idea of what it was. Castiel had his suspicions but chose not to voice them. It was bad enough that he had to tell the truth about the need for gallons of demon blood.

"You know this isn't the time to be squeamish," Dean said as her looked at her.

"I know." Angela turned to look back at Dean.

Dean was expecting a resigned air but he didn't get one. She was looking at him with a look that said she knew that what she gave an excuse was bullshit but she was determined anyway. It was a look that said she would put up a fight if it came to it or she would consider. It was what Kesset once referred to as her general's look. Dean disliked that reference mostly from the bad memory of the trial and everyone calling her 'general' but it felt like it was dehumanizing her, making her not what he knew her to be even though it was her. "Then why…?"

"Because she wants to," Castiel said as he stared out the window. "And because she can hunt them down without a problem."

Dean knew that and even Sam knew that. They knew she used to hunt demons back in her day and it made her reputation that led to… He also knew that she had been fighting the stench of demon blood for a long time and that she was addicted to it. "I know that but we don't know how many are in there."

"That won't be a problem," Angela replied as she checked to make sure she had her weapons. "I can smell them. There are three."

"Then we go in as a team," Dean asserted in a firm tone. He looked at Angela to catch her eye to make it clear. "Alright?"

Angela caught the look. She had wanted to go in alone since it was something she could do since Sam had tied her hands so to speak and she felt a little useless. This, she knew and she was a little frustrated and she wanted to release it in some way. But she couldn't voice that to them without making it sound like she was being a selfish bitch. She returned the look and nodded, "Alright. We better go."

Dean watched as she slid out to get going. He made a slight face and looked at Sam who looked at him and shrugged. He got out and followed, letting the dogs out of the car. He paused to look at Zeppelin and raised his hand and made the gesture, "Alright, stay, Zep."

Zeppelin whined a little at that. His sibling Moira did the same as she pawed at Sam's leg to beg to go. Cerebus and Xander had gotten out and were looking resigned. It could be considered an embarrassment but both Winchesters were adamant and gave the command to stay. Sam only had to say his dog's name and she obeyed and sat down and Zeppelin followed her lead.

Dean could tell that Angela was amused by the whole thing since all she did was pat Cerebus on the head and gestured at Xander and they stayed put. He narrowed his eyes and warned, "Don't say anything."

"Why? I'm not the pushover like you," she teased before she put her knife back on her belt. She glanced at Sam and grinned, "On the other hand, a little dominance is always… appealing."

Out of all the males present, it shocked two, left one blushing and one merely sighing as he recalled a similar incident. There wasn't much more to say as Angela led the way in, becoming all business with Sam, Dean and Castiel following right behind. She knew she had caused a stir but she had been honest. And it took the edge off the seriousness and put her in the realm of comfortable since she was now on a hunt and it was to be a means to an end. The more she thought of it as a job, the less she thought about of it as what it actually meant.

They entered a room and she paused. Her eyes flared the moment she caught the scent and her nose twitched. She used her fingers to signal where they were and moved forward. The demons thought that they had the advantage and it would have made sense since they made a racket outside and it was a job to have idiots wandering in. She made a turn into a series of rooms and walked slowly and on the balls of her feet, checking her corners when she heard something and paused. She straightened up and paused to listen before grinning like the cat caught the canary and moved again.

In the meantime, Sam and Dean moved with Castiel into another room. They were jumped by two demons and a fight ensued. It was hard not to kill them since they needed them alive for what they were going to do. They did manage to subdue them and draw the devil's traps to keep them bound while they immobilized them. Then came the hardest part and that was draining the demons dry. There was one way to do it and thinking about it was grotesque but they did it.

They had the ropes on the ankles and were about to hoist the demons up when Angela came walking in dragging a bound demon by the jacket collar. She said, "Stop your grumbling. You're lucky you can still talk after I deadened your nerves."

They watched as she dragged the demon into the devil's trap and took the remaining rope to string it up. Dean couldn't help but ask, "What did you do?"

Angela tied up the demon and explained, "Pressure points. Enough to crush the spine but keep it alive." She looked at Dean and added, "Don't worry, the host is dead. All three of them."

It was a little relief since once they killed the demons, it was also killing the human inside. It was easier not to think about it but sometimes you just couldn't help it. Most of the time though demons rode their meat way too hard that the host died shortly after being possessed unless it was for a specific purpose. Angela figured it would help soften the blow that they were going to drain the demons of their blood for their own purposes.

"That's good to know," Dean muttered as she finished tying the ropes on the feet of the demon.

"You have no idea who you are messing with you bitch," the demon managed to spit through the gag that Angela had tied over their mouth. It's black eyes were showing as it glared at her and then the Winchesters.

"Oh you mean a piece of cannon fodder? Yeah, I do," Angela countered not at all perturbed at what the demon was saying. She hoisted the demon until it was hanging upside down within the devil's trap. She let her eyes flare and let the demon get a good look at her.

"So you're gonna… torture me," the demon mocked. It then noticed the bowls being placed under the other two and then looked at Angela who had the last one. "You're gonna bleed us? Why? Trying to amp up? Be like the good ole days?"

Angela kept a serene look that was more scary than her angry face. She readied her knife while Castiel and Sam grabbed theirs for the other two. She looked at her demon with a wry expression and then said, "Did you know that the average human body contains about four liters of blood? Roughly about eight pints."

"So is this an anatomy lesson?"

Angela leaned in close as she kneeled. She was flexible from years of learning martial arts and other activities like ballet and gymnastics so it wasn't odd for her to squat the way she was doing. She played with her knife and tapped the tip on the demon. "Maybe for you."

There was sound of slicing and Angela glance to see Sam and Castiel draining the other two. She gestured with her knife and continued her lesson, "Funny how it is eight pints. You'd think there'd be more but no. Now we lose blood in regular things that are normal: cuts, scrapes, the visiting aunt… But it doesn't beat the fact that it can get worse when it's more serious like a puncture to say an artery."

It was probably torture for every in the room to hear her anatomy lesson but it made her feel better. Better in the sense that she was striking a blow to Lucifer in his plan and if she thought about it, it was a vent in her anger at what Sam made her promise and her feeling helpless. She picked her nail with the tip of her knife and made a quick motion across the demon's neck, severing the jugular artery. She watched the demon gurgle as she continued, "Now at 30-40% loss, you start to look pale, feel shaky and might even pass out. That would require a transfusion. When you lose forty or more… you're pretty much done for. Hypovolemic shock sets in and eventually it becomes too much for the heart to work and then… you die."

Angela watched as the life bled out with the blood from the demon not showing one ounce of remorse, sympathy or what have you. She straightened up and put her knife away. If she had pockets, she would have put them in the pockets and just stand there. She knew that it was hardly the person Sam and Dean knew her to be with her behavior but… She continued to stare until the blood completely drained out of the demon before grabbing an empty gallon jug and started pouring the blood in.

Minutes later with three gallons of demon blood in hand, Angela stayed to look at the bodies while Sam and Castiel carried out the jugs. She glanced at her hands and noted she had gotten blood on them and just stared. It was tempting to lick it off and it would give her a charge so to speak. She hadn't forgotten how it felt. No one ever did.

"So, you got it out of your system?"

Angela turned to see Dean waiting for her as she pulled out a handkerchief and stared wiping her hands. "Pretty much," she replied as she wiped the blood off.

Dean took a step forward. He had been watching her and she was really all over the place with this. She accepted the decision but it was like she was not accepting. It was weird but he sensed that she was working through things. "Was that why you said you'd do it alone? To work shit out?"

Angela looked at nothing to think about her answer before looking back at Dean and replying, "Partly. I am upset and feel useless that this is our plan and… The other is that we are getting close to facing the devil and… can't go in with a hint of doubt."

"So being scary and tough works for you?"

Angela shrugged her shoulders slightly before sighing, "Truth is, I wanted to do this on my own so you have just a little more time for not the reality to set in. I see it and trying to deal. I just wanted to give a little more…"

"You didn't need to. We all know what's at stake here," Dean cut her off. He looked around before adding, "And I know that it sucks because… I know you and Sam got pretty close and I think it sucks and is unfair."

"Nothing ever is," Angela offered. It was weak but it was more for something to say.

"Doesn't make it right though. I mean… Finally you actually say something and you're courting or whatever the hell you call it and then this." He gestured all around him. He put his hands on his hips and sighed, "It isn't fair to you or Sam."

"It isn't," Angela replied after a pause, "But it is what it is and… Sam and I are trying to make the most of it. We could mope or we could not waste a moment."

"And you pick just spending all the time you can."

"It isn't wrong that a lifetime can be spent in a day," Angela replied as she put the handkerchief away. She pressed her fingertips together. "I've met people who didn't even have that but they lived. It's very humbling."

Dean couldn't help but give her a small smile. Then on impulse he pulled her into a hug. "Just because," was all he offered before heading out of the place.

Angela smiled at that as Dean left before following him out. She had gotten the frustration out of her system, which explained why Sam didn't bother her or criticize her actions. Then again he always seemed to understand unless he didn't and he asked. Now it was just a matter of getting the job done. She paused at the top of the stairs to observe Sam putting the bottles into the Impala's trunk. She reached into the pouch she had attached and fingered the vial she had put in there. She did have an ulterior motive but now she was going to have to find another means. Whoever said that subterfuge was easy was stupid. It was hard and now she had to come out with what she had in mind.

As if he sensed her looking at him, Sam looked up and caught her staring. He offered her a tentative smile which she gave back and she joined him. She looked at the bottles and noted the excess blood dripping on the sides and she wiped a finger around it, sweeping the blood up. She held up her blood covered finger to look at it.

"You okay?" Sam asked the question after noting the expression on her face.

"Not really," Angela replied as she observed her finger. She brought it close to take a sniff and then wipe it off. "Whole thing makes me nervous. This part especially." She looked at Sam.

Sam took in her expression. She wasn't going to abandon him or them. She was going to see it through. She was just voice her apprehensions. "Why?"

"Because I know what happens when you drink this much. The ones that can't and won't die from drinking too much." Angela turned to look at the bottles and took a breath. "I'm not joneseying for a hit. I have been around the stuff long enough to resist the smell. And when you've been made to do what I did in hell… you never really forget." She put her hand on the trunk and pushed to shut it. She turned to look at Sam as she leaned against it, "It's why I was concerned but didn't say anything when Ruby was in the picture."

"You knew what it would do but…" Sam paused. Not wanting to sound accusatory. "Part of finding your own way thing?"

"That yes." Angela offered a wan smile. "Learned that for cases of obstinacy is to let the person go through with it and be there to help them back up or if they ask for help and give a few hints along the way."

Sam thought about it for a moment. She did give him 'hints' when he started this and she was there to give a hand. He just didn't take it until it was too late. Just like he was almost too late with her in general. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It is what it is now," Angela offered, not wanting for Sam to feel worse than what he already did. "And in the end, the worst didn't happen." She took in Sam's look of surprise since he obviously thought that this was the worst to happen. She looked away at nothing in particular before she added, "The worst thing to ever happen is that the slippery slope of good intentions falls down into the bottomless chasm and keep falling and all they see is darkness. Choices are hard but if you can keep yourself…" She turned to look at Sam. "Then there is that chance."

Sam had nothing to say about that. There wasn't a need to especially when she turned and gave him a slight smile. It wasn't empty like he had seen her do when just being polite. It was… reassuring. He didn't know if it was for his and everyone else or for her benefit and he wasn't going to question it. Not without a good reason.

Angela finished what she was doing and rubbed the trunk before going over to the dogs and giving them a rub. There was hardly any indication of her previous behavior as she rubbed her dogs and complimented Zeppelin and Moira for doing as they were told. She just went about business as usual much to the surprise of Dean and Bobby. Sam took it in his Zen manner thoughtful about what she said and it gave him the resolve to have the long needed talk with Dean.

They got on the road and headed for Detroit since Dean was certain that the devil was going to be there. Angela had raised her brow in suspicion at that since he seemed so sure about it. She didn't say anything but agreed to heading there even though Bobby thought it was a little light in the omen department. Maybe it was but then again…

They went on into the night as far as they were able. They could have gone all night but the puppies were getting restless even cuddled with Castiel and Dean was agitated by his midnight conversation with Sam. It was decided they pull over for the night to get some shut eye or at least take a couple of hours to cool down. And it proved to be a much needed thing.

Angela was sitting at the table in her room, looking out the window at the moon. She found it very peculiar that Dean was so certain the devil was going to be in Detroit. She tried asking him about it and all she got for it was that it was a hunch. She could have pressed but she sensed it was going to a place that Dean didn't want to talk about. In fact, it was very similar to the way he behaved earlier this year when they got back together after being separated. It had her thinking but she couldn't come up with anything.

 _The worst thing to ever happen is that the slippery slope of good intentions falls down into the bottomless chasm and keep falling and all they see is darkness. Choices are hard but if you can keep yourself… Then there is that chance._

She didn't really know why she chose to word it that way but it seemed right at the time. She did believe that there was always a chance, one more thing that could be done. She didn't believe in no-win scenarios. To believe in that, in her view, meant that you gave up. It was something she didn't do and couldn't do. Not when there were more important things at stake.

She chuckled at that thought. She used to think that the most important thing was keeping the world from falling apart. Even when she had her strays she never strayed far from the course and did whatever needed to be done to get the job done. And sometimes it wasn't the happy ending that people thought it was. You could do the right thing but sometimes it just ended up feeling wrong and lousy. It was especially true when good people died and they died fighting for a cause that pretty much was doomed from the start but because she believed there was a chance, they followed.

Now it was different but not really the more she thought about it. In truth, she still kept to the course. She protected those that couldn't do it for themselves and taught those that were willing to learn. Maybe it was more of an addition. The addition was that she found something that she had wanted to keep close and tight to her and it came with foreign feelings that scared the heck out of her but she kept at it. What she meant was that the worst fate that could happen was that Sam would have fallen into the black hole and never surfaced. True he did set the devil free but… he had the good intentions and he didn't lose sight of himself especially along the way. That was what she had meant to say earlier that the worst thing would have been him becoming like the creatures they hunted and she couldn't bear that. She really had grown soft in that area.

 _You do what you have to do but not at the cost of yourself._

Ellen had been firm on that. As much as Angela could say that it was a mom thing, there was truth to that. It had been uttered out of love and concern and for someone who wasn't even fully human to begin with. Angela put a hand to her chin in thought as she remembered her time with the Harvelles. Another thing that she really didn't regret but felt guilty for because she had a low sense of self-worth.

Ellen had told her that because she knew that things were only to get harder from that point on out and she knew that Angela was going to have to make choices since more than likely it was going to touch upon things that she had wanted to leave behind. Ellen was being a mother and Angela appreciated it. More than she had ever let the woman know but Ellen seemed to know. Angela shifted still deep in thought as she thought about what she had done and what she was going to do.

Having lived five hundred and plus years, she had seen a lot and done a lot. She could recall vividly the first memories she had as a girl living in Florence when she wasn't the young lady she had been instructed to be. Happy times and she could recall her mother happy with her being herself then. It changed the day she was old enough to understand what she could and couldn't do. She rebelled and refused but her mother insisted. It was only tempered by the fact that her mother had her educated like a man. It was then she understood her mother hadn't changed but was tempering who she was into someone who could still be themselves while playing to the conventions of the time.

It certainly made things difficult and Angela regretted that. Her mother tried to find her a suitable husband but she refused. She was willing to go through the process of being courted and had suitors but none was a prospect. That was her fault and she had her reasons. Certainly she listed the obvious reasons like attitude, personality and how they treated others but there was one reason that she refused. She had known they weren't the one.

Besides that one rejection when she was with her father had her give up on it entirely. She was tired of pretentions like the grand game but being well versed in it, she used it to her purposes. She was more conniving than those superficial fools. Then her father died and that changed things more; she began isolation of a sorts and the start of that reputation that regarded her as an Ice Bitch or Ice Queen. She had crafted a wall of ice that seemed impenetrable to most people, even to those she had saved. And yet they always were grateful.

Then came hell.

The memories of hell were as vivid as ever. She couldn't forget them and occasionally they arose as nightmares. If she closed her eyes, she could see Alistair and his daughter having their fun with her. How they poked, prodded, drove their blades in… then being forced to rip damned souls to shreds in battle, for sport… and then she ripped those demons to shreds, devoured their blood. It was a fine line holding onto who she was… at least who she thought she was. And it stayed even when she escaped and was rescued from hell. It only seemed to strengthen that ice barrier she created that only a few were able to scale.

Angela continued to stare out the window and think until she felt a pair of hands grip her shoulders. She was broken out of her thoughts by the touch, recognizing it instantly and she turned to face their owner. She gave a smile and said, "This certainly is bold for you."

Sam flushed at the comment as he put his hand back on her shoulder. He shrugged his shoulders at that. "Take each moment I can."

Angela made a sound at that. Her usual retort sounded too mean. So she merely stared at Sam. Finally she said, "Dean might have something to say."

"Doesn't matter."

Angela looked down for a moment before looking back. "Don't turn into me. Don't act like it doesn't matter. Life is too short."

The next thing that happened was Sam's hand on her face. She felt his fingers caress her skin as he leaned forward pressed a kiss to her lips. "I know."

Angela hummed at that and wrapped her arms around Sam's neck as his wrapped around her body. She closed her eyes as she buried her nose in the crook of his neck and breathed in his scent and sighed. She couldn't even recall when he picked her up. Her nose as still buried in his neck as she committed it to memory.

* * *

 **A/N:** Well they collected the demon blood and now they are off to see Satan. Stay tuned for next time on Light's Evensong...


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 _The way of the warrior: the duty to one's master and loyalty unto death. It is a sin to give little importance to one's duties to their master._

Angela extended her arms to the ceiling and then bent in half to continue her stretching. It was late in the day but it might as well be morning to her since they had all gotten much needed sleep despite the tension of what was to come. She performed her yoga stretch sun salutation with the agility garnered through years of experience.

 _Righteousness. Courage. Benevolence. Respect. Sincerity. Honor. Loyalty. Self-Control. These are the virtues a warrior must have._

Straightening up, Angela moved into the warrior poses. Taking slow breaths and focus, she calmed her mind and body as she remembered the lessons that just seemed to blend together but the people who taught them were unique. Some were from a long time ago and others were fairly recent.

 _The heart._

Angela moved into another warrior pose and then started moving faster. Despite learning European fighting styles, the methods of the east and the Far East held wisdom as well. She respected the wisdom and philosophy that was intertwined with the techniques she had learned. Lord Onigen certain had a few things to say when she trained under him.

Moving faster she went into the katas that brought about focus. She still felt the way she did but they allowed her to see things clearly. They helped her focus on the path that she had set her feet on and what she was going to do. It worked too well when the door to the room open and she reacted by pulling her knife and throwing it at the door.

The knife buried itself in the frame and Dean looked at it with slight alarm but let out in an exasperated tone, "What is it with you throwing something at me or tackling me?"

Angela straightened up and grinned as she ran a hand through her dark locks before coming over to get the knife, "Because…" She yanked it out. "You are fun to play with."

"And trying to give me a heart attack."

Angela smiled and softly chuckled at that. "Nah. I just don't like interruptions. I've done it before to Bobby. It's why the repair budget is what it is." She held her knife in her hands and rubbed her finger on the blade gently. She sobered as she looked at Dean and said more than asked, "I take it that we are heading out soon."

"Yeah. And I was looking for Sam. He didn't come in last night and uh…" Dean cleared his throat. He then heard the shower noise from the bathroom and looked at Angela. He wasn't going to go there with that one. "Angie… are you really okay with this?"

"No but that is the selfish part of me talking. The less selfish and more greater good oriented me… sees this as the only way. Well not the only way."

"Yeah Sam mentioned you suggested yourself again," Dean replied not willing to side step. There was no point to it. "And that he shut you down."

"Yes," she said soberly. She knew that Dean wanted a little more so she gave it, "I was going to. You know that I can host either angel or demon and you know I hosted a god or two. I was willing to make it so even more after Michael took Adam. That was so brother didn't have to fight against brother."

"And what about you? How did you figure into all this?"

"Not very well," Angela admitted. She picked her nail gently with the tip of her knife more because it was something to do. She looked at Dean and explained, "I offered because at the time, what was and still is more important to me is that you and Sam are together. I see the world differently and… human relationships, observing them especially those of brotherly love, family… the virtues of humanity… they are beautiful to me. Don't ask me why but I've been around enough to know how precious that is." She put the knife down and pressed her fingertips together. "You know I'm trying and I've screwed up royally but… I'm making the most of it."

"You're up to something."

It was out of the blue but Dean had observed her enough to know that what he had seen was not just coping but a cover for something else. He did remember how she hid her plans regarding his deal that he made. When it was life and death serious she was terrible at hiding it. She always too cheerful for her own good.

Angela looked at Dean and replied, "No, I'm not. Just trying to make the best out of a lousy hand." She looked at Dean as if daring him to say otherwise.

Dean looked at her with a raised brow. He suspected something was up but the way she was looking at him… it was dangerous territory. Still… "So you're not gonna try anything?"

"No."

Dean had to leave it at that. He could accuse her of lying but he had no proof except her behavior and that was hardly adequate. Besides if she gave her word… "Okay then." He then looked at the bathroom door and bellowed, "Sam! We leave in fifteen!"

Angela had to give Sam credit for not storming out. She did rub the left side of her neck from embarrassment but also she was reminded of a few other things. She looked at Dean who was grinning at her like a loon and said, "We'll be ready to go."

Dean couldn't help but smirk. He didn't have to ask on this. He could read between the lines. He gave a slight gesture and left the room. He still wasn't satisfied that she wasn't going to do anything. From where he stood, she always had a backup plan or something up her sleeves. She would do something to put another snag into the works and still do what Death wanted him to do. He had trouble believing that she was going to do nothing.

Angela stood there and watched Dean leave. She knew that he was disappointed that she wasn't going to do anything like throw a monkey wrench into the works like get Sam out of hell once he jumped in. She made a promise though. She wasn't going to let Sam down on that one. She hummed as she stared at the door before she was joined by Sam looking irritated by the prospect of being teased by Dean. She smiled and kissed him on the cheek before going to where her stuff was to make sure that it was ready to go.

Sam huffed a bit but eventually went to work getting dressed and making sure his stuff was ready to go. His mood improved considerably spent in Angela's company and it was nice not to hold back what he was feeling with her. She didn't either and it was a relief since she finally wasn't hiding them with regards to him. Other things… she was entitled to keep them unless she wanted to share them.

As he watched her put on that lightweight thing that hadn't ripped yet. She picked up the sash and was going to tie it around her waist when he stopped her. He paused as she lowered her hands and let him take the ends. He slowly wound it around her waist as he had seen her do it, wrapping it to hold it in place. Pulling it to the side, he knotted it and let the ends drop. "There."

"Thank you." Angela smiled and gave Sam a kiss. She picked up the leather belt that went with it and put it on.

"You know that…"

"Makes me look like a Jedi, I know but I like it. And it's comfortable." Angela smiled as she picked up her gauntlets. She looked at them before they were taken from her. She frowned a bit until Sam started putting them on. "You know this is completely the reverse of things."

Sam hummed at that as he fixed the first one on her wrist. "Maybe but… gives me a reason to be with you." He looked at her and smiled.

"I see that's your only reason," Angela teased with a smile. She stood as Sam finished the first one and started on the second. She was surprised he knew where everything went since she had never really shown him how it was done.

Sam made a noncommittal sound at that. He finished the last gauntlet letting his fingers linger until they brushed her hand. He held it and just brushed the skin gently. Eventually she started making that sound she made when she was a little girl. It was the sound that he liked and it surprised him that she was making it as an adult. He paused a moment but continued and said, "That's a nice sound."

"Hmm?"

"That… purr thing you do. I like it."

Angela paused and looked up. She couldn't stop the sound since he was still stroking her hand. She just looked at him as the sound continued. It almost seemed to keep going even when she spoke, "I… guess I'm content." She clear her throat but she couldn't stop the sound.

Sam watched her. There were still some barriers to get over and she was still shy about some things. "It suits you." He lifted a hand to brush the side of her neck with the back of his finger. "And I like it."

Angela relaxed and the sound increased in her throat more from hearing those words than what Sam was doing. She allowed a smile before reaching up with her free hand and brushed his locks. She gently brought him down to give him a kiss.

They were on the road within the time frame that Dean bellowed and headed for Detroit. Given the cramped conditions, the dogs were riding with Bobby in the van and Angela and Castiel were in the back of the Impala with Sam and Dean. It was a somber ride until night set and they were just minutes away from pulling into the city. That was then that Sam finally decided to bite the bullet and have that conversation he needed to have with Dean. He glanced back to see that Angela had her eyes closed but she wasn't asleep. She was more meditating… at least that was what he hoped it was. She didn't even mind when Castiel leaned over and rested his head on her shoulder. Turning back, he replied to Dean's comment, "Angels don't sleep."

It was nonconsequential but it was an ice breaker to the awkward silence and Dean said, "I've got a bad feeling about this Sam."

"And you'd be nuts to have a good feeling about it," Sam replied.

"You know what I mean," Dean countered. "Detroit. He always said he'd jump your bones in Detroit and here we are."

"Here we are," Sam agreed.

"Maybe this is him rolling out the red carpet you know? Maybe he knows something we don't."

"Dean, I'm sure he knows a butt load we don't. We just got to hope he doesn't know about the rings." Sam glanced at his brother.

"Yeah since Angie is not doing a damn thing," Dean replied. "I mean… This is nuts."

Sam was silent for the moment. He knew that the reason she wasn't doing anything was because he made her promise. She promised she wouldn't crack the cage but it seemed like she wasn't doing anything to stop the inevitable. Or at least slow it down. It wasn't resignation but he could see why it bothered Dean. And it was a good time to talk about what he needed to say, "While we're on the subject, there's something I got to talk to you about."

"What about? You got a plan to get Angie to give an idea?"

Sam twitched his lip at that, "This thing goes our way and I triple Lindy into that box… you know I'm not coming back right?"

Dean looked at his brother. He didn't want to think about it but he knew. "Yeah I know."

"So you got to promise me something." Sam knew this was not going to be the same as he made Angela promise.

Dean looked at Sam and replied, "Yeah, okay. Anything."

"You got to promise not to try to bring me back."

* * *

"You don't have to do this. Stand here and… watch."

"I know."

Sam looked at Angela as she stood next to the open trunk of the Impala. She had her hands folded in front of her and it looked a little weird since she was in her "Jedi" clothes and wearing leather gauntlets; she looked like something out of those action/adventure movies that is period like. Yet it had a modern appeal and it looked good on her and it was hard to deny that her down had him distracted.

They had made it to Detroit and scouted out the area that Bobby noted the omens that seemed a little light. They found the brownstone that the devil was holed up in and Bobby confirmed it by reporting that there were demons there. Of course the dogs let it be known and Angela merely said that it was demons and one angel. So yeah they were sure that it was the place.

Sam knew that it was now the moment for him to do something that he had sworn off since the first time. He didn't want to but it was the only way and Castiel confirmed it when he told the angel his idea. When Famine made him rabid for it, he ended up almost hurting the one person that forgave him no matter what. By her standing there, he feared that it would happen again because he could smell her. She wasn't wearing perfume but he could smell her scent.

After saying last words to Dean, Castiel and Bobby, he was at the trunk to take the plunge. He hadn't said anything to her since they had their words but she came and stood by him. And now he was trying to find the words to say that wouldn't hurt her feelings. "I… I don't want you to see me. And… I don't want what I did to you to…" He gestured at her neck.

Angela stared at Sam with a quiet expression. She understood that but she had made up her mind. She made it up when he held her close and she breathed in his scent. She wouldn't let him be alone. "I know and… it is what I want to do." She paused and then added firmly, "Always and forever."

Sam looked at her and her firmness. She wasn't a pushover even in her moments of weakness. At some point she put her foot down and did what she had to do. He knew she wasn't going to budge on this and she was making it clear that she was doing what she had said since they started looking for Pestilence. She was going to stand by him no matter what. He knew she didn't like that he made her promise not to poke the cage but she was still there. He didn't say anything but nodded.

Angela gave Sam a pat on the shoulder and stood there while Sam took the first gallon jug and brought it up to his lips. She could smell the demon blood and her nostrils flared and almost hear the pulse of a heartbeat in her ears. It was a lot of blood and she had seen it and smelled the coppery smell. She had walked battlefields that had been so bloody the ground was stained red. This was only three but the scent held some power.

The first time she had tasted blood in general it was human blood. It wasn't the metaphorical tasting when someone got a liking for the kill. Nope. Hers was literal and it was because of an accident. It was a typical type that humans could encounter but it was serious nevertheless. She ended up losing a lot of blood and would have died if that human nursemaid hadn't jumped in and encouraged her to bite her arm.

It shocked her at first but she held on because of instinct until she was told to let go and rest. Then it came tumbling down and her father ended up explaining what it all meant. Since then, she had been careful with the puncture wounds but it wasn't the last time she had blood. Other times were more memorable than others and for various reasons. So she knew that drinking demon blood… it was a means but it didn't mean that it was a good one.

Sam felt like he was going to choke on the amount but he forced himself to drink it. He remembered how good it felt the first time and this was a hit that outdid even what he did under Famine's influence. He felt the power of it starting to course through his veins and he felt those powers that were dormant now start to come alive. He reached for the second jug and took a gaping breath before tilting it and started drinking.

Angela merely watched, aware that it was a strange sight to the other three that were waiting. She spared a side glance towards them and noticed the expressions. The fear of a father's loss on Bobby's, the worried and trying hard to stay strong on Dean's and Castiel… the angel surprised her by showing concern through his stoic features. She didn't linger as she turned her gaze back to Sam unaware that she was not just looking like the strong person they knew her to be but one with feelings as her features contorted to one bearing pain that was beyond physical pain.

The third one was reached for. Two was probably more than enough but… Angela took a breath as Sam started in on the third. He was less hesitant from before. It didn't mean that he was getting over it. It was more that he was steeling his resolve to see this through. Angela watched as he guzzled it down and watching as little drops spilled down the sides. It was a messy business and there really was nothing to say about it. She just watched and made sure he didn't choke on it and she put her hand into the pouch on her belt.

When Sam was finished, he took a gulping breath and looked down in disgust at the empty bottles. He felt the buzz and the charge from the demon blood and was willing to go in guns blazing. After all that was what they were doing. He put his hand on the trunk lid.

"Wait, Sam."

Sam paused and looked at Angela. She was looking at him and holding him back gently with one hand. "Angie…"

"There is one more."

Sam frowned a little at that until she produced a vial of blood. It was about the size of the tubes used in collecting blood samples. Inside was a sample of blood, dark and oozing. "What…?"

"Do you trust me?"

Sam looked at Angela as she held the vial in front of him. She had always asked that when it came down to it; a matter of life and death. "Always," he replied.

Angela nodded and handed the vial to Sam. "Drink."

Sam took the vial. He had already drunk enough to probably do that thing she could do; the pulling demons and then setting the smoke on fire. Yet there was something different about this one. He slowly pulled the cork off and held it in his hand. Her expression remained firm and watching him. Returning the look, he held it and then downed it like a shot.

As soon as the blood touched his taste buds, he nearly choked. He almost spat it out but some of it got on his lips and dripped down. He looked at her with a look of shock. It was her blood. He knew that because he remembered the taste of it so well. He remembered how he had looked at her that night, his desire and hunger all rolled in. It would have been a whole lot worse if he hadn't resisted as he did. He gaped at her wondering why she had done that.

Angela saw the look and took it in as she gently used her thumb to wipe the excess blood from around his mouth. When she was done, she held her thumb up and took a step back. She said, "Trust me." She looked at him as he continued to look at her in shock. She figured that it would be one since it was hers.

Sam managed to nod at her request. He was just surprised that she had done that. He had not so subtly told her about how it made him feel. Giving a slight shake he focused on what he was there for and marched forward. "Okay. Let's go."

Angela looked at Sam and Dean as she raised her thumb to her mouth and licked the excess blood from it. Her eyes flickered once she felt the sanguine texture on her tongue and she followed, grabbing Absolution from the backseat of the Impala and putting it in the sheath on her back while checking to make sure that her chakram and knife were on her belt.

"All right. We're here you sons of bitches. Come and get it!"

Angela stepped to flank Sam and Dean as a couple of Lucifer's lackeys came out. She let her eyes flare the moment Dean said, "Hey guys. Is your father home?"

She gave a warning look at the demon closest to her and it backed off. Her eyes were flaring as she watched the other demons grab Sam and Dean. She looked at the third and said, "I am not resisting. I will go with."

It seemed to work as she followed the manhandled Winchesters into the building and up the flight of stairs. She walked into the room serenely as she shouldered the demons away to stand in front of the Winchesters. She looked at the silhouette on the ground and followed it to the devil as he looked out the window.

"Hi guys. So nice of you to drop in. Especially you… Angela." Lucifer turned to glance at Angela as she stood there. "That's a good look on you. Exactly how you should be." He gave a slight smile as he took in her features.

"Not the first to make that observation," Angela offered.

"And not the last." Lucifer gave a humoring smile at her. "Because you have managed to live through the possible and impossible. And then some."

"Sounds like a cockroach. Those things never die." Angela gave a humorless grin as she replied to Lucifer. It was rather odd to be having a conversation with Satan himself but he wanted to talk to her and he knew where there was one Winchester there was another and she was somewhere not far behind. It was pretty much the known rule with the demons and most of the time they were content to leave them alone.

"But you're not a cockroach," Lucifer pointed out. "Annoying maybe with your interference. Impressive with your abilities. Beautiful in appearance. But definitely not a cockroach." He smirked at her and added, "Consider it a step up from what Uriel called you."

Angela crossed her arms over her chest and stood there staring at the devil. "Like I care what that asshole said."

"Touché. But I know why you're here."

"Of course." Angela glanced at the demon coming closer and shot a warning look. She looked back at Lucifer. "Unfinished business."

* * *

 **A/N:** Sam drinks demon blood and marches up to Lucifer's door. Can he resist? Stay tuned for more Light's Evensong...


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 _There are things that are worse than what you have seen bambina. They will force you to test the very aspect of your soul time and time again. Whatever you do. Don't harden your heart to caring. It is what makes you who you are._

 _Angela kept that in mind ever since her father told it to her. It felt like a mockery at times because of the circumstances. It taunted her when she resisted getting close to people she grew to care for. And yet it melted the resistance because it was the core of her nature. It was why she softened and eventually stayed with them and it became the start of something… beautiful._

Angela stood with the Winchesters. Her arms were crossed over her chest to convey that she wasn't intimidated or afraid. In truth, she was nervous since this was Lucifer. She had fought angels, archangels and fricking Grigori and knew what they were capable of. Lucifer she sensed was different. He may be an angel but…

Lucifer blew onto the window creating frost on it. It was a perfect circle. He then warmed his finger and drew on the window. "Sorry if it's a bit chilly. Most people think I burn hot. It's actually quite the opposite."

Angela stood there merely watching. Dean couldn't help but voice, "Well, I'll alert the media."

Lucifer turned to look at the three of them head on. He took in the looks on the Winchesters and then Angela's. He had always been amused and impressed by her ability to understand things and to keep calm and focused while everyone else was screaming and running around like a chicken with its head cut off. It had him wondering if she had something up her sleeves.

Standing in front of them, Lucifer mainly addressed Sam and Dean but the question was for Angela as well. "Help me to understand something guys. I mean, stomping through my front door is… a tad suicidal don't you think?"

"Depends on what you define as suicidal," Angela replied as she stared at the devil.

"We're not here to fight you," Sam interjected before the devil could say anything. If he could say or do anything that would keep her or Dean from getting hurt, then he was going to do it.

Lucifer looked at Sam. "No? Then why are you here?" He had a feeling that he knew the answer but he wanted to hear it anyway.

"I want to say yes," Sam replied with a firm look.

It was a surprise and Lucifer just wanted to make sure that he heard right. "Excuse me?"

Sam knew he had to make a point. He focused on the demons and it was like riding a bike. He killed them just like that. He took a deep breath as he stared and glared at Lucifer.

Lucifer looked at Sam, impressed. He knew that nothing was coming from Angela. She was just standing there. "Chock full of Ovaltine are we?"

"You heard me. Yes." Sam stared long and hard at the devil.

Lucifer looked at Sam and saw it. "You're serious. And my little pretty is letting you?" He moved towards her and started playing with her hair.

"I am not letting him do anything," Angela replied as she stared straight ahead trying to ignore the fact that the devil was touching her. "I don't make or let people do anything. It is their choice."

"Ah yes. Your… philosophy on how these… flawed beings should be seen as." Lucifer looked mockingly at Sam and Dean as he circled Angela. He kept running his fingers through her locks, not touching her blade. He knew she wouldn't use it unless she had a reason to. And even then it was a last resort. He paused to look at her and he lifted a lock of her hair and took a sniff of it.

Sam and Dean glanced at each other warily though Sam was feeling annoyance. He didn't like what Lucifer was doing to her and it was trying since he wanted so badly to go and punch the devil a good one. He shuffled to maintain his stance and said, "Look. Judgment day's a runaway train here. We get it now. We just want off."

Lucifer lifted his face from where he had been sniffing Angela's hair and looked at Sam. He still held the lock of hair and studied his expression. There was something there that he was curious about. Still… "Meaning?"

Sam took a breath as he replied, "Deal of the century. I give you a free ride but when it's all over, I live, he lives, you bring our parents back…"

"Can we please drop the telenovela? I mean she does a better job and it's believable." Lucifer reached out and brushed Angela's cheek with the back of her finger. He grinned when she pulled her head away so fast you could have sworn that you heard the wind sound effect. He looked at Sam and added, "I know you have the rings, Sam."

That was exactly what they hoped wasn't the case when they went into this. It was a setback in this whole thing. Dean had to hand it to Sam that his younger brother didn't flinch when he himself was inwardly thinking that they were totally screwed on this. He glanced at his brother and then at Angela who only shifted enough to give a backwards glance at the devil. She had lowered her arms and was standing there like she was a statue. But the look in her eye showed that she was not happy with the turn of events. Maybe that would spark her to come up with a plan B or C or how many backups she had and could think of.

Sam played it off, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Lucifer had to admit that Sam trying to deny it was funny but he wasn't laughing. Sighing he jogged the memory, "The horsemen's rings? The magic keys to my cage?" He stepped forward until he was close enough to stare down Sam and added, "Ring a bell?"

Sam was silent for his response. He knew that this was going to change the game a little. He could see Angela giving a backwards glance at him and Lucifer. She was merely staring and her gaze was almost heavy lidded but the glint in them was one of fire and determination. She would fight if he gave the word. She was putting this in his hands.

"Come on, Sam. I've never lied to you. You could at least pay me the same respect." Lucifer stepped between the Winchesters and turned to look at Sam. He wasn't worried about what could happen to him. He saw the heavy lidded look of Angela. She wasn't going to do anything.

Sam turned to look at Lucifer along with Dean. He glared at the devil since it was really up to Lucifer whether or not he and Dean were going to become finger paint. He barely heard the slight shuffle of feet as Angela turned to look at the devil full on. How he heard it, he wasn't sure but he could almost feel her agitation, her anger, her desire to run her blade through the devil but at the same time he sensed… pity? It was a strange thing and he wasn't sure what was going on so he kept his attention on Lucifer.

"It's okay. I'm not mad," Lucifer said as he looked at Sam. "A wrestling match inside your noggin…" He thought about it for a moment but he already had an answer. "I like the idea. I also like the idea of wrestling inside my pretty's little head. She does have a few things that I want."

"That is off the table," Sam said firmly. "It's with me and you may have a chance of gaining her cooperation." He added the last bit to hide the fact that his refusal could have been seen in a different light. He was not going to reveal anything that he held dearly within his heart though he knew that it was a strong possibility that the devil would find it out.

Lucifer nodded at that. Something was up and he liked the idea of discovering what it was. "Just you and me. One round, no tricks. You win, you jump in the hole. I win, well then I win." He smirked at that.

That was the deal on the table. It was now or never. Angela knew she could stop this from going too far and say yes to Lucifer. She would be his vessel. The bright side was the funny jokes about a man riding her ass. The downside was that Lucifer could use her meaning he would probably be able to access her abilities or something, make her do things she would never do. It would probably kill her but in her mind, Sam and Dean would be safe. That was what mattered but…

"What do you say, Sam?"

The question was directed at Sam but Lucifer was looking at Angela. He knew what she was capable of and he expected her to say something. This was the moment. He took in that heavy lidded gaze and his expression taunted her to say something. He added, "A fiddle of gold against your soul says that I'm better than you."

 _So he knows. Doesn't change anything_ , Sam thought to himself. He could do this. "Doesn't change anything," he said out loud.

"Sam," Dean muttered. He knew that Sam was going to say it. He looked at Angela and she wasn't going to say anything.

"We don't have any other choice," Sam replied, knowing what his brother was going to say. He half expected Angela to say something in protest herself but she wasn't saying anything. She was just staring at the devil like she was possessed or under his control.

"No," Dean begged softly. He knew Sam was going to say it but this was the last chance to pull back. He noticed Angela's shoulders tense slightly and then looked back at the devil as he looked at her. Was he doing something to her?

"Yes," Sam said. He had noticed Angela's shoulders tense and it looked like she was going to open her mouth. It was now or never. He braced himself as he repeated his response to the devil's deal, "Yes."

Lucifer was surprised at the turn of events. He expected Angela to say something and it looked like she wanted to say that she was going to do it. But she didn't. Sam did. It didn't matter really. But it was a treat to get Sam. Now that Sam said yes, there was no going back. He closed his eyes and prepared for the transfer.

Angela felt like she had a stone drop in her stomach when Sam said yes. She was going to break her word and jump in instead but he beat her to it. She fought with her nature and in the end, she was too late. Just like she was too late for anything else that mattered. That came slamming down home as she lowered her eyes to not be blinded by the white light and the ringing that was signature of an angel's presence.

Dean shielded his eyes to prevent himself from being blinded by the light. When he looked he saw Angela standing there looking like she was trying hard not to cry. Her breath was coming out in gasps and her lip quivered. He then looked down and saw Sam on the ground unconscious. Lucifer was nowhere in sight meaning…

"Dean," Angela said gasping. "Do it." She looked at him.

Dean knew what she was talking about. He pulled the rings out of his jacket pocket and flung it to the wall holding his hand out. He spoke the incantation to open the cage and noticed that Angela had straightened out and was gritting her teeth like in pain as she held her hand out with him. Her tattoo on her wrist began to glow as she held her palm out.

The door to the cage opened and the wind started to whip around. Angela looked at Dean and said, "I got it stabilized."

At that moment Sam woke up and Dean was on it, calling his brother's name. He helped Sam up, listening to his brother groan and saying that he could feel him. He could just imagine what was going on in Sam's mind in the battle for the driver's seat. Right now, he had to get his brother into position to make the jump. "You gotta go now! Come on!"

After more prodding Sam pushed his way forward. At that moment, Angela's eyes flared and her gaze narrowed and she lowered her other hand to reach for her chakram or to just tackle and charge. That would work. As soon as he turned and said that he was just messing with Dean, she charged at Sam, prepared to tackle him and Lucifer into the cage.

"Sammy's long gone."

Dean stared flabbergasted and saw his girl run to tackle the devil. He protested knowing that she wasn't going to listen. He could just hope that this backup would work. He wasn't to get his wish when Sam or Lucifer struck his hand out and grabbed her by the neck and actually lifted her. "Let her go!"

Angela looked at Lucifer. It was better to think that it was the devil than Sam even though she was looking at him. At least she got in close. She stared at him and held onto the wrist. The grip was tight but it wasn't choking her. She looked at him in the eye, saying nothing.

Lucifer looked at her with a narrowed glance, "You really are something my pretty. You thought to take us both down. How did you know?"

Angela gave a wry grin as she held onto the wrist with her hand. "I have my means," was all she said. Her feet dangled in the air and she could give a kick but she didn't.

Lucifer smiled at her with one hand. "I knew there was a reason why I love you so much."

"More like loved what I can do."

Lucifer gave a shrug and made a slight face. He turned while keeping his grip on her neck and recited the incantation to close the cage. He lowered her so her feet were on the ground but she had no leverage since he tightened slightly. Not enough to choke her but just enough to make Sam see what could happen. He pulled the rings off the wall and looked at them before turning to face Dean.

Dean felt the ground drop beneath his feet as he watched his brother's body close the gate and take the rings while holding onto Angela. He didn't like she wasn't offering resistance but then again… She knew about possession and… He saw her managing to look at him. She looked like she was losing air but she had a controlled grip and she was looking at him.

 _It'll be alright Dean. Trust me._

"I told you… this would always happen in Detroit."

Dean would have said something but Lucifer was gone and so was Angela. He realized that it didn't matter if Angela said yes or not. Satan was going to have her one way or another. As a vessel it would have been easier but as a prisoner…

 _It'll be alright, Dean. Trust me._

* * *

The stench of demons was overwhelming but Angela ignored it. She had to otherwise Lucifer would sense it and use it against her. He kept a tight grip on her neck to keep her subdued but there was the added implication that he could choke the life out of her if he wanted to. She glanced at the demons standing around like they were resigned as Lucifer pulled her in while cracking his knuckles. The next thing she knew she was flung into a spot.

Going with reaction, she rubbed her neck and looked at him as she straightened up solemnly. She looked at the devil and lowered her hands and stood there. She was surprised that he hadn't removed her weapons. Then again Absolution would have been temperamental with those that she didn't overly like at all. She stood there, not saying anything but looking at Lucifer.

"You know I heard about you. How you held out," Lucifer said as he looked at her. "And then you just… gave up."

"According to whom," Angela replied as she stood there. "Alistair used to say that I struggled even when I didn't fight it anymore. It's what made his day and the killings all the more satisfying."

"But you have to admit… you liked it too." Lucifer stepped up close to her. He looked down at her in the eye. He reached up and rubbed her on the chin slowly. "You liked the feeling it gave you. And it made you into the… magnificent creature you are."

Angela twitched her lip more at the touch. She felt her teeth start to elongate slightly. There was nothing she'd like to do than to attack but… "And that gets old very fast." She took Lucifer's hand and removed it from her person.

Lucifer chuckled at her. "And I bet that you want to use that blade right now." He took in the frown and explained, "You see… It all seems too convenient with you not resisting. I wonder what your game is."

"No game. No tricks. I offered, you didn't want and I am not resisting the inevitable."

Lucifer narrowed his eyes at her. There was something going on and he aimed to find out what it was. He turned and cracked his knuckled and looked up and grinned. He scoffed a little, "Sam. Come on. I can feel you scratching away in there." He frowned when he sensed something else until his gaze lighted on a mirror. "Look. I'll take the gag off, okay?" He approached the mirror after throwing back, "Don't move sweetheart. I still got a bone to pick with you." He have Angela a smile as he turned back towards the mirror.

Looking at his reflection, Lucifer said, "You got me all wrong, kiddo. I'm not the bad guy here."

"I'm gonna rip you apart from the inside out. Do you understand me?"

Lucifer studied the reflection as Sam glared at him. This would have been a futile exercise in analyzation of the psyche and personality. Though it would be fun to play with. He gave a mocking smile as he replied, "Such anger, young Skywalker. Who are you really angry with? Me… or that face in the mirror?"

"I'm sure this is all a big joke to you."

"Or is it the fact that you're angry with a certain beauty who has done nothing but lie to you from the beginning." Lucifer smirked at Sam. He liked the reaction he was getting from him. "And no. Not at all. I've been waiting for you for a long… long time. Just like her."

"And there it is."

Lucifer paused but was still grinning. He watched the mirror and when it refused he waved his hand. There in the reflection was Angela. He knew she hadn't moved. "Couldn't resist, couldn't you?"

Angela stood there looking at Lucifer through the mirror. "I'm not resisting. I'm just offering commentary."

"You're not here to try and break Sam out?"

"No. Just a casual observer."

Lucifer stared at Sam and Angela's reflection. He was highly suspicious of the whole thing. There was no way that she was going to stand by and do nothing. "This is not like you."

"You win," Angela replied with a gesture. "Why fight the inevitable?"

Lucifer noticed that Sam was reacting but not like he expected. It was like resignation; that she wasn't going to help him out of this. It was odd and I had him suspicious.

"Let me make it clear," Angela said as she stepped forward in the mirror. "I am only here just to observe. I am curious as to how Sam is faring and just seeing what you intend to do. You won the one round bout so I am not going to fight you." She made a sweeping gesture to emphasize her point as she stared at Lucifer.

Lucifer stared at the pair and then looked back to see Angela's body standing there. Her eyes were open and she turned to look at him. This was something new. She had been busy and all to just watch? He looked back at the mirror and she had taken a step back and let things happen. Well no need to stop on this. He looked at Sam and continued, "Well… you have to admit you can feel it, right?"

"What?"

"The exhilaration. And you know why that is? It's because we're two halves made whole. MFEO, literally."

"This feels pretty damn far from good."

Lucifer looked at the reflection with a patronizing look. He tapped his vessel's head, "I'm inside your grapefruit. And so is she. You can't lie to me." He looked at the reflections in the mirror. They were both looking at him. "I see it all. How odd you always felt. How… out of place in that family of yours."

"And what kid doesn't?"

Lucifer ignored Angela. She was being as annoying as Morrighan was. He focused on Sam and continued, "And why shouldn't you have? They were foster care at best. I'm your real family."

"No, it's not true."

It was what Lucifer expected from Sam. It didn't matter that he told him that he could see all in his grapefruit. "It is. The nice thing is that my little pretty here is a part of that. At least she acknowledges it."

"Not really," Angela replied as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Never was and never will be your pretty."

"And yet you're not resisting." Lucifer watched as she went silent. He had the upper hand here but he got the distinct feeling that she was not conceding. "So I know that you know it. Both of you. All those times you ran away Sam, and you… hiding from sight lovely, you weren't running from them. You were running towards me, Sam and you brought her with you."

"Nah I was just in the neighborhood."

Lucifer looked at Angela and then at Sam looking like he wanted to reach out and choke him. Not even the hints were casting doubt. It was puzzling but… Sighing he said, "This doesn't have to be a bad thing you know. I let Dean live, didn't I? I want him to live. I'll bring your folks back too. I want you to be happy, Sam."

"I don't want _anything_ from you."

"Really? No even a little payback?" Lucifer gave a wry look at Sam in the mirror.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Look closely." Lucifer turned to let Sam see the demons that were there including Angela. "None of these little devils look familiar to you? Well one is obvious."

Lucifer let Sam get a good look at everyone there. He didn't care if there were lies about Angela. "Sam Winchester, this is your life. Azazel's gang. Watching you since you were a rug rat. Oh yeah. She was too. Jerking you around like a dog on a leash. I know how you feel about them. Well not sure about her but I feel the same." He watched as Sam quivered in anger. "So what do you say you and I blow off a little steam?"

* * *

 **A/N:** Sam said yes and Lucifer is driving the bus and he took Angie for good measure. Stay tuned for more Light's Evensong...


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"There's gotta be something we can do. I mean, it's not just Sam but Angie here." Dean was trying hard not to cry but it threatened to occur. He had been left in that place alone with two dead demons. His brother and his girl were gone. He didn't even understand it that she didn't do anything, not even stop Sam like he thought.

"We can't stop it," Castiel was replying. He didn't like it either. He didn't expect to hear that his charge just lowered her weapons and was led away. He couldn't comprehend that even after the stunts she had pulled in her life.

"Listen to me, you junkless sissy. We are not giving up."

"And no one is saying that we should."

Dean turned to see the last person he expected to be there. "Hale."

Haley came into view looking at Bobby, Castiel and Dean. She had hightailed it from Liam's place to find the Winchesters. She knew she couldn't stop things from happening but there was a chance to change the gameplay a little. It was funny how that aspect of a mutual acquaintance seemed to bleed into the most hardened of souls. "Like I said, no one is saying that we should give up."

"There was never much hope to begin with. Even with Angie being all bubbly," Bobby said in a defeated tone. "I don't know what else to do. And the one person who would, according to you just dropped her sword and gave up."

"That doesn't sound like the Angie I know," Haley said, refusing to believe that the one who was the most fierce of warriors and advocates would just do that.

"You didn't see it Hale," Dean offered as he looked at the ground. He didn't want to give up. He couldn't but when even Bobby was… "We walked in and… she let Sam say yes. And then she didn't fight when he took her."

That was definitely not like Angela. Haley frowned at that as she looked away at nothing in particular. No, there was something else to this. There had to be something. "No. I refuse to believe that. Angie wouldn't just give up."

"Hale, she gave up. Not one show of protest or emotion." Dean didn't mean to be short with her. She had only come to help but this was not helping.

"It's not her." Haley shook her head in denial. "Never in a thousand years would she just drop her sword and let herself be led away. Not without a damn good reason. You know it and I know it."

"Makes sense. It's her MO. I mean she walked out on me and Sam before."

"Do you really want to go into that? Believe me I hear things too and to be honest if you spent a little more time seeing or attempting to see how she sees the world then you would understand her." Haley narrowed her eyes in anger mostly because she could see the defeat in everyone's eyes. She really couldn't get how they would give up like this. Dean was fighting but losing. "Because from where I stand she loves all of you way too much, more than she should ever, to just give up like that. She would fight tooth and nail for all of you."

Dena knew he had pissed Haley off but. "Hale…"

"Don't Hale me," Haley waved her hand angrily at Dean. "You of all people should know her. Who does she come to when she needs help?"

Dean looked up and saw the tears starting to brim in Haley's eyes. He thought about to what Sam had told him, made him promise, in the car. Haley wouldn't be stupid enough to take him in and she wasn't all about normal. Not at the rate he was going. "Hale, I saw it, alright? I saw it. She did _nothing_!"

Haley shook her head at Dean. "I can't believe this. And she even forgave you." She turned away to watch the news. It was better than nothing and it kept her from losing her temper. "She forgave you Dean in spite of everything you have done that most would consider unforgiveable. Sam too."

Dean looked away. He had heard Angela in his head but it didn't give him any confidence. He didn't feel reassured about anything. And yet Haley was telling the truth. He was having a hard time believing it himself since he had always seen her in action; she did something about whatever it was. That was her.

 _So you won't take her for granted._

 _Why do you forgive me Angie?_

 _Because even what you did in hell… there are worse things one has done. I'm not one to judge. And the way to work through things, to make things right, that's learning forgiveness… on all levels. Even when it is not readily apparent._

Dean was struck with a sudden memory of a conversation he and Angela had after he had gotten out of hell. It was some time after the ghost sickness he had been struck with. He remembered that, the way she stayed with him. She told Sam to go with Bobby and she would stay with him. So he wouldn't be… He remembered.

Looking up, he saw that Haley hadn't left. She was wiping her eyes and he sighed. He glanced at Bobby and Castiel who were both looking at a loss and stepped to stand behind her. "Hale, you're right."

"Right?"

"Yeah, about Angie." Dean cleared his throat. He was sorry that he even thought that. "She would never do that unless she had a good reason."

Haley turned to look at Dean. He looked like he had come to a realization. "Okay. Then what?"

"So Sam wouldn't be alone."

It sounded ridiculous even since she was in the clutches of Lucifer even if he was wearing Sam's meat. Yet it made perfect sense to Dean. It was a trying time for everyone but the burden was on Sam. She knew that and she was there so he wouldn't be alone. She did it for him and it would make equal sense for her to do it for Sam. But the stakes were higher since Lucifer could find out about her and Sam being together.

Haley didn't think that it was ridiculous. She knew what was going on since she and Dean talked. "Now that sounds like her."

"And if I know her… Cas, can you sense her even as a human?" Dean turned to look at the angel with a determined look.

"If you mean like locate her, no. That…" Castiel hung his shoulders. "But I can tell you that she has had some physical pain but not enough to evoke a response from Kesset."

That had Dean and Bobby tense up. They knew Sam would never hurt her physically but Sam wasn't in control. Lucifer was and if the devil thought she was toying with him, then he wouldn't hesitate to do something that would make her suffer.

"Or she cut him off," Bobby countered, "She has done it before."

"No. No resistance."

It didn't make sense and Dean couldn't make heads or tails of it except that it was to be company for Sam. That was all he got. And then it became clear what he was going to do. He was going to do the same. The thing was they needed to know where the final showdown was going to be. The problem was that Castiel didn't know and it wasn't like they were going to ask an angel or two. They wouldn't tell. That left…

Dean had a sudden fit of inspiration and pulled out his phone. Bobby looked at him and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Calling Chuck," Dean replied as he looked up the number. He looked at Bobby and explained, "He can tell me where the showdown is gonna be."

"And you're gonna go there?"

"Just to talk with Sam." Dean looked at the grizzled hunter as he waited for the call to be picked up. _Simple really is you Angie._

 _Mistress Magda._

Dean frowned at that, "Um… no Chuck."

 _Oh uh… Dean. Uh wow, I didn't know that you'd call._

"Who's Mistress Magda?"

 _Nothing. She's a… Just uh… You know. A close friend._

"Yeah I bet. What happened to Becky?" Dean frowned a little as he walked to where the Impala was parked. He didn't know that he was followed by Haley until she got into the passenger side with him,

 _It didn't work out. I had too much respect for her._

Dean glanced at Haley as he replied, "Wow you got a virgin/hooker thing going on." He couldn't help but grin slightly.

 _Okay this can't be why you called._

"Sam said yes."

 _I know. I saw it. And I saw Angie. She was taken by Lucifer. I'm working on the pages._

"Yeah." Dean didn't want to go into details about that. Chuck would have seen it if any part of it. He did admit that he only saw glimpses of her and it was always in an ambiguous fashion. "Did you see where the title fight goes down?"

 _The angels are keeping it top secret. Very hush-hush._

Dean sighed and tried not to be too frustrated. "Oh crap."

 _But I saw it anyway. Perks of being a prophet. Tomorrow. High noon in a place called Stull Cemetery._

Dean thought about it and looked at Haley who was waiting for him to give the word. She wasn't asking to hear but letting him talk. He felt her hand on his shoulder and it massaged it gently in reassurance. "I know that. That's an old boneyard outside of Lawrence. Why Lawrence?"

 _I don't know. It has to end where it started I guess._

That wasn't reassuring but at least he had a location and he was willing to bet that if Lucifer was the arrogant ass he was, he would bring Angela there. Get all the players there. Then… "Is there any way to short-circuit this?"

 _Besides the rings? No. I'm sorry. Unless…_

"Unless what?"

 _Unless the Malachi strikes down both bringing Absolution to the brothers. But I honestly don't know. I don't know what's going to happen yet. I can't see her like I do you._

"Thanks Chuck." Dean hung up the phone.

"So… we going?"

Dena looked at Haley as she looked at him with a look. "I can't ask you to come, Hale."

"And I'm not asking." Haley shook her head. "I am here to help. I like Sam and I don't want this to end badly. And maybe I'm the idiot but… I believe there is a chance."

Dean looked at Haley and couldn't help but let out a slight chuckle. "God you sound like Angie."

"Addicting isn't she?" Haley couldn't help but laugh gently in agreement. She took a breath and adjusted her position in the front. "But it is the truth. And if all you're gonna do is go and be with Sam… then I'll go and just be there for you. I'll stand by you and if you need help getting to Sam… just ask like always."

Dean was grateful for Haley. He would like her there but he didn't want her to be in danger. There was a very high risk that Lucifer would kill them. "I'd like it but… Hale, this is dangerous. I mean it's the devil. He could kill you. Kill me."

"I know. And I want to come."

There was an air of finality in her tone and Dean knew better than to refuse. He had been on a mild business end of refusal with her and while it had been fun and games, he knew enough about her juju to know that she could be very physical and kill someone. He smiled and grabbed her hand. "Thanks Hale."

"Always with you."

Dean sighed and got out of the car. He had to make sure he had his gear ready. You couldn't get rid of habits even if he was going to do something like try to talk to Sam. He walked around to find that Zeppelin, Moira and Xander had followed and were sitting in front of the trunk. He shook his head and said, "I bet you're thinking I screwed up huh?"

Moira whined slightly as she stood up and walked towards him and rubbed her head on his leg. She then sat and looked up at him with a somber expression. Dean looked down at her and couldn't help but rub her head. Kneeling he was level to receive all three and they came forward. "I guess this means you want me to fix this huh?"

Zeppelin barked and tugged on Dean's jacket. He pulled hard enough to cause a small rent in the cuff. It had Dean chuckle and he rubbed his dog. He looked around and sighed. It was then he saw Cerebus. The hellhound looked at him in the eye with a firm look like he wanted to challenge him but Dean didn't see it that way. It was a missive in those eyes. It was weird but he could tell that they were telling him to fix this. "Alright, come on."

Dean opened the door to the back and the puppies climbed in followed by Cerebus. He closed the door when he heard, "Are you going someplace?"

Dean saw Bobby and Castiel approaching. He knew they wouldn't approve even if he took the dogs and Haley with him. He couldn't say anything.

"You're gonna do something stupid," Bobby stated rather than asked. He knew something was up the way Dean had walked away and followed Haley after he moved away. True Dean said he was getting the where but he knew that boy well. "You got that look."

"I'm gonna go talk to Sam," Dean said with finality.

"You just don't give up."

"It's Sam."

"You couldn't reach him here. You certainly won't be able to on the battlefield," Castiel said.

"Since we've already lost, I guess I got nothing to lose, right? And Angie will be there." Dean looked at the pair. "She won't leave him alone. That's why she went."

"Just understand that what you'll see…" Castiel paused since this was hard. He looked at Dean and continued, "Is Michael killing your brother… or the Malachi killing both. It was a possibility since this began. The Malachi…"

"Is the protector of man. I know," Dean finished. "But I ain't gonna let Sam die alone and if I know Angie… she won't kill Sam but she will be there to make sure he isn't alone and I won't let her be alone."

* * *

Angela sighed as she kneeled on the ground and soaked the towel in water. Her nostrils flared at the scent of blood all over the place. She looked at her own hands. There was blood on them and she knew where it came from. Squeezing out the towel, she dabbed the towel to the cut on her face. If she were a normal human, she was going to have a fat lip.

Not resisting was proving to be more trying than ever. Well to be honest she held out against the punches until she realized that it wasn't going to do any good and defended herself. It was probably what Lucifer wanted all along but she knew that it was stupid to just take it like that for long but she also knew a thing or two about being a prisoner and the benefits of biding your time.

"You know I never thought you'd be one to defend a demon."

Angela finished dabbing her lip and soaked the towel again. She glanced at Lucifer and replied, "I wasn't defending anyone. I just happened to be in the way." She calmly went about squeezing the water out of the towel again to dab on her face. "I'm not good at being the observer like Morrighan is. I get in the way."

Lucifer scoffed at that as he looked in the nearby mirror. He could see the look on Sam's face. There was something about it that had him intrigued. "You've always been in the way whether you aim to or not," he said as he turned to look at her. "Always there throwing a wrench in my plans but still coming down to this point."

Angela made a slight sound at that. She continued to dab her cuts and she tenderly touched her cheek. It was going to be swollen. Without a mirror she couldn't tell if she was going to get a black eye or not. She might not since her body did heal faster given her genes but she wasn't going to get her hopes up on that. She ignored Lucifer as she tended to her face.

It wasn't the reaction Lucifer wanted and she suffered for it when she was grabbed roughly and yanked to her feet. She then found herself looking at Lucifer in the face and her hair had been grabbed to yank her head up and prevent her from looking away. Angela looked up and gave her most bland of expressions. It was the one that Sam hated.

 _This is not Sam. It may be his body but it is not him._

It was a simple mantra and one she had been telling herself ever since Sam said yes and she knew for certain that it was Lucifer in control. It helped her to steel her resolve in doing what she was doing. The only small comfort because Sam's scent was mingled in with Lucifer's and it was wreaking the most havoc with her nose. Pursing her lips and hissing in her breath since her hair was being pulled and there was a hand tightening on her arm.

Lucifer looked at Angela as she looked at him. He twisted his head to look at her, trying to see what it was that kept her from putting up any resistance. It was a puzzle to him and he didn't understand it after everything she had been doing this past year. "Don't you have anything to say?"

Angela let out a slight sound from the pulling of her hair but she didn't avert her gaze. It wasn't like she could do that anyway. She opened her mouth slightly to reveal the slight elongation her teeth had taken. It was nothing unusual since dhampirs could elongate and retract their teeth at will just like their full blooded counterparts. From what Sam and Dean told her, she did that frequently when she was shrunk and she occasionally did that but mostly to tease. Looking at Lucifer, she managed to say, "Only that for an angel you have bad breath."

Lucifer growled and flung Angela aside. He took satisfaction in hearing her crash into the dilapidated furniture. He felt Sam scratching away when that happened. He looked at the mirror and saw Sam looking at him with such loathing and said, "Now come on Sam. You know that you wanted to do it. After all, she was the one that started everything. If she hadn't met your mom…"

"Not true," Sam retorted hotly as he glared at Lucifer.

Lucifer grinned at Sam, "Don't lie. After all she lied about knowing them in the beginning and then what about Madison? Jess?"

In the meantime Angela pushed herself up slowly. She put a hand to where she had hit the table and it came away clean but it was sore. She winced but she heard what Lucifer was saying. She said, "You know that I tried to stop it, Lucifer. Don't lie."

"I never lied," Lucifer shot back.

Angela slowly got to her feet. The broken wood clanked as she stood up and turned to look at the devil. She rubbed her lip since it was sore from the previous blowing off of some steam. She also rubbed gently the other sore spots on her face before running her fingers through her hair. She took a breath and said, "Please. You left out the fact that Azazel's gang had the bigger agenda of me before the whole business with the children. For centuries he was trying to draw me out and went to… extreme lengths. On your orders."

"Only shows what you have been and that is a thorn in my side."

Angela gave a slight smile and a shrug at that. "Huh. And here I was thinking that you wanted me for something." She looked at Lucifer in the eye. "Something about a sword and shield."

Lucifer paused and looked at her with a raised brow. She was biding time. He was certain of it. He was well acquainted with how she could misdirect if only to keep attention off of whatever else she was planning. He grinned and raised his finger and waved it at her. "You're going to try something and knowing you… probably has something to do with the attack dog leashed to you."

"If you mean the Avian guard, then no." Angela shook her head to emphasize that. To her it was almost comical in that Lucifer wasn't understanding that she wasn't going to fight him. She could see the puzzlement on his face and if she wanted to be sentimental, she would have taken out her phone to get a picture. "As to having some grand scheme, as I told you before, I don't have one. I am not resisting you, Lucifer." She stood there looking at the devil. "No resistance." She gestured with her arms to make a point.

"And you're willing to let billions of people suffer; forsaking that which you are? The protector of man? The Malachi of Absolution?" Lucifer looked at her with a wry look. He glanced in the mirror to see Sam looking at the situation like he wanted to do something but he wasn't sure of what to do.

"You once said that if there was no resistance, you would allow them to live," Angela countered knowing that it was a deal with the devil in the most literal sense. "If you wish, I could pave the way for acceptance."

"But you are operating under the assumption that I care about these flawed beings," Lucifer replied with a smirk and waved his finger at her. "The truth is… I don't. What I do care about is Sam, this vessel, my destiny… oh and of course… you."

"Me?"

"Don't play coy," Lucifer warned as he circled her. "Apart from obtaining my true vessel, I wanted you and it's not because Michael wants you. Well… that is true."

"I am not important."

Lucifer was on her in a moment and grabbed her and pinned her to the wall. He glared at her as he pulled on her hair to keep her looking at him. "Don't even start. You've been important since the beginning. All these centuries…" Lucifer got close as if to sniff her. "And you still haven't grasped the power you hold."

"Maybe I have and just came to the conclusion that I won't resist you but that doesn't mean that I will use it for you." Angela choked out a laugh and grinned. "I won't be your tool Lucifer. I am merely an observer."

Lucifer had enough and slammed her head against the wall. "You wish to toy with me? Then I will give it to you. I have a sudden urge to blow off more steam." He drew his fist back and threw a punch.

* * *

 **A/N:** Dean finds out where the final showdown is and decides to go. Lucifer has a sort of heart to heart with Angela and is baffled. Stay tuned for more Light's Evensong...


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Haley looked out the window of the Impala as Dean drove towards Kansas. They had to pull an all-nighter if they were going to make it to Stull Cemetery by noon. That was a small price to pay for this snowball's chance to reach Sam. She studied the landscape as it flew by her and thought about everything that had happened.

She had never expected to get back into the hunting game after she left it. She had been afraid of her juju roots and she didn't fit in because she was born of the Celtic and juju traditions. She never felt she belonged with either and hid herself away in Lakota even though she kept some contact with the tribe there.

Then Angela came in with the Winchesters because of what was happening and then… Haley didn't regret coming back. She contacted her father's tribe and grandfather and told him that she was coming back to her juju roots. She was welcomed back like a long lost sister and her Celtic roots also wanted her back as well.

It was a juggling act to learn about both once again. Experience was the best teacher and she decided that it was best that she travel doing what the Winchesters did. Her grandfather insisted though that she not go alone until she achieved what some called the journeyman's level in her juju magic. That was how she got Aaron as her guardian.

That Aaron was a Nephilim wasn't an issue. Rather he seemed pleased to be given the honor of accompanying her. He became a good friend and she repaid that kindness though it was more Angela's doing when they went to his family home. It wasn't the happy ending since he was left without his family but he said that he was going to honor their memory by keeping on doing what they did and that was to be a guardian of anything that needed protection like the vision.

Haley had never had the burden of an entire people or the fate of the world placed on her shoulders or a fate that would put her at the forefront of every potential disaster that could affect the world. So she didn't understand why Aaron would choose that fate but Angela seemed to understand and gave him encouragement and advice. Haley merely thanked Aaron and wished him luck and to never hesitate to call if he needed a friend.

Seeing Angela when she called about Shiva had been an eye opener. She had long known that Angela was a being that was not like any other. She had been chosen probably long before she had been born to carry out the duty that she had carried on for over five centuries. It was a surprise that a dhampir was chosen and had the abilities of one but Haley sensed there was more to her and probably things she didn't even know about herself. Haley couldn't explain why but what she had seen… it frightened her a little. The reality of what was to come was settling in and it was terrifying but after some thought and seeing Dean again, it was a comfort. A being that could call upon other forces and command them for the sake of humanity… that was a good thing.

It was why Haley kept in close proximity with the Winchesters and hung around the werewolf Liam. He seemed to know more about Angela than most folks. And she ended up finding out how that was possible but he also had firsthand experience as well. In her mind that was the best kind since it gave a better picture of who Angela was. That and how the Winchesters viewed her… it gave Haley a better picture.

But her reason for helping Dean was because he needed all the help he could get. He knew that he was like Sisyphus in rolling the boulder up a hill for all eternity with this idea but he was willing to give it a shot anyway. And it was because it was Sam. The power of family was strong and maybe that was what Angela understood the most about the Winchesters which was why she stayed with them for so long apart from the fact that the girl was in love with the younger brother and he felt the same. Haley was there to help Dean but also because she believed too.

Haley had to smile slightly at that. Hope was addicting especially if it came from Angela. That woman was someone who didn't believe in defeat. If she did she kept it from the world but she always acted like there was another way to do something. If there wasn't a way it was because they hadn't come up with one yet. Haley couldn't believe that someone who had seen despair and doors closing with loud bangs could still feel that way after all this time. It was no wonder the Winchesters and everyone that was more normal wondered if she was normal or not.

There was also a mysterious air to Angela. Her emotions could be so easily written on her face and yet no one could truly know what she was thinking or understand her. Haley had read much about the great tactician that had been at the forefront of major battles that decided the course of history but was never talked about. The only way one knew about that was through the stories that was passed through legends and stories of the tribes and the people who had been affected. It made Haley easy to see how Angela would say that whoever they were talking about wasn't her.

"What are you thinking about?"

Haley shifted to see that Dean was looking at her while keeping his eye on the road. His features looked grim and she couldn't blame him. "Just thinking… about what Angie did."

"You having second thoughts?"

"No." Haley looked back out the window to stare absently at the scenery. "Just thinking about what her intentions are. The obvious is because of her feelings for Sam. She won't let him be alone."

Dean glanced at Haley as he made an adjustment. "I know that. She loves him and enough to let us all to think the worst of her when she does something like this." He hummed slightly before adding, "And even after all this time… I still doubt her."

Haley looked at Dean and noticed the pain etched on his face. She thought about what to say since it was obvious that there were things that happened that would make him think and feel that. She looked away and then said, "I don't think anyone would ever be able to know what she is thinking completely."

Dean looked at Haley when she said that before looking away. Maybe that was true. Some things she said and did… they didn't make sense until he saw it in the end. By then though the damage was always done and he had the guilt. It was made worse when she carried on with a smile and said that it was all right.

"She is known as a tactician, a warrior and always spoken of as someone who rides in, saves the day and walks away. I can only imagine how that feels especially after everything that happened including the equivalent of a hundred twenty years in hell and the shunning because of abilities normal people can't understand. It's no wonder she seems to have a barrier."

Dean shot a look at Haley. He couldn't deny it though. There were times Angela seemed to be withdrawn. And she never really would include herself when she referred to them as a group. He thought it had gotten better over the last few years but even he couldn't say that it was completely gone. "It has gotten better and… she's never that reserved with Sam."

"Obvious."

They lapsed into silence for some time. Dean focused on the road ahead. There was a lot going on and he thought about what Haley said. There was some truth to that but he also knew that there were moments when she was truly happy. Like the time when Angela was a child. Those were some of the happiest memories he had and it was one of the rare times she truly showed how she felt about him, Sam, Bobby and everyone else. Even after everything he had done, she still approached him with love and acceptance. She didn't have any memory of her life before being reduced to a child but she still gave her love. It was just… he was sad that she didn't remember much of anything of that time.

"It has gotten better."

Dean glanced at Haley who was looking forward at the road. "A little."

"A lot I think." Haley looked at her hands as she continued, "She loves you too. Enough to spare you from the vilest of things she may have to do in order to for you and your brother to be together. It means a lot to her."

Dean looked away when he heard that. That was what he feared. That Angela would leave them with the illusion of one thing in order to do what had to be done. It was what Castiel had said all along when he said that she knew what needed to be done. "She said that she would never come between us," he said in a low tone.

"So like her." Haley couldn't help but grin at that. "Seems like she did but in a good way. It's why she stayed and why she is determined to do this. The why and what she has planned…" She sighed and shrugged her shoulder. "I'm just glad to be able to help."

Dean softened his expression a little. "You don't have to do this Hale. It may not be something I can come back from."

"I still want to come."

Dean glanced at Haley and saw the seriousness in her expression. "But if we do this, Sam jumps in… I don't know…"

Haley looked at Dean, "I know he won't come back. That is the fate of jumping into the cage." A thought then came to her as she thought about the events that had happened. It then occurred to her what Angela may have been planning to do. She kept silent though since she didn't want Dean to have any additional stress.

"Hale?"

Haley was drawn from her thoughts when Dean called to her. She shifted to look at him and inquired, "Yes?"

Dean looked at his hands nervously. He recalled what Sam asked of him to do when it became clear that if it worked… He blinked slowly before looking back up. "If… if this works." He paused.

 _Find Hale. Pray that she will take you in and that you live a pretty normal life._

Finding the courage to keep going, Dean continued, "I was thinking that maybe… we could um… I could chase you… indefinitely."

Haley blinked at what Dean was saying. She didn't expect that from him and it surprised her. She knew what he was asking and… She found herself saying as she smirked, "If anything I would be chasing you indefinitely… hunter."

Dean looked at Haley and her smirk. A small smile appeared and he replied, "You and I both know who is going to win… witch."

Haley shifted as she hummed her pleasure. It would take some doing but it could work out. She shifted a little when she felt something poking out of the seat of the Impala. Frowning, she pulled it out and looked at it.

"What's that?"

Haley hummed as she studied the envelope that was in her hands. It was made of parchment meaning that it was very old. There were few things that would use parchment like the orders still in operation and maybe old documents. Yet to Haley this looked fairly new. "Looks like a letter. Parchment and sealed in wax."

Dean glanced at it. He noticed the wax seal. What was that doing in the car? True there were things that seemed to disappear in the car or they found the strangest of things. He recalled finding a chew toy that the pups seemed to have lost but thought it was so in the junkyard. "What about it?"

Haley turned it over and saw the name. "It's for you." She held it up for Dean to see without him struggling to read it.

Dean glanced over at the envelope. He recognized the handwriting, the spidery and elegant look. Even when she printed when in a rush, it looked so beautiful. It was hard to mistake it. "It's from Angie."

"She must have written it and left it for you but it was wedged here in the seat." Haley inspected it more. "And what's more, it doesn't appear to have been in here for long. Not a whole lot of wrinkles."

Dean frowned at that. If there wasn't a whole lot of wrinkles, then that meant it had been put in there fairly recently. That meant that she knew what was going to happen or had an idea. And she had made up her mind of what to do about this. A part of him didn't want to read it but he knew that if he didn't, he would never understand her reasons. He made a slight noise and then said, "Read it."

"What?"

"Read it for me, please." Dean kept his gaze on the road ahead. "It will explain everything."

Haley stared at Dean before nodding. She would honor that request. Slowly she broke the seal, noting the crest of the de Medici family. It was lovely. She opened the envelope and pulled out the handwritten letter. It too was written on parchment. She opened it and began to read.

* * *

It was like being in an empty padded room. All he could do was kick the walls and be a pain in the ass. He hadn't been able to break out once he was shut in but he was resolve to keep fighting. He made a promise. He promised Bobby that he would keep fighting and kicking. And it increased the moment he watched…. He watched his hand close around her neck.

Sam tried hard to control his breathing as he looked at the void he was trapped in and ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't forget what he had done… what _he_ had done using _his_ body. It only made him angry and hate himself. He told himself he could do this and in the end, he couldn't and he hurt her. He hurt his love.

"You didn't hurt me."

Sam looked up and saw that he wasn't alone. He saw her sitting there like she was lounging against some boulders and looking comfortable. He looked at her and replied, "Yes I did. I hurt you Angie."

Angela sighed at that as she ran her hand through her hair. She sat up and looked at Sam and replied, "It may be your body but it wasn't you. There is a difference." She gave him a pointed look. "So stop feeling guilty for something that is not of your doing."

Sam was a bit taken aback by her forcefulness and made a slight sound of surprise. He was even more surprised when she seemed to appear suddenly in front of him but the expression changed and it was a drastic change. It confused him a little. "What…?"

"Keep fighting Sam. That is the only way you are going to do what you set out to do." Angela looked at him with a tender look as she reached and caressed his cheek. She smiled softly and added, "I have faith in you, Sam. Always have and you won't be alone."

Sam looked at her. He had seen what happened when she appeared in the mirror with him and basically told off Lucifer. He wasn't sure of what to make of it. It was like seeing two completely people. One was the one he was used to, coming to his defense and protecting him. The other… was the one that he knew when they were in private. Both different and yet the same and both felt… his.

"Sam," Angela was saying, "I asked you to trust me. Do you?"

Sam looked at her. "Yes. Always."

"Then trust whatever happens is because…" She looked away with a slight despondent look. "Because it may not be what you like on the surface but there is a reason for it. Because I love you."

Sam looked at her. So far Lucifer hadn't figured out that there was something between them. It was one fear of his since Lucifer managed to poke at everything else. He wondered if it had something to do with the fact that he had drunk her blood with the demon blood. He stared as she looked at him with a firm and gentle look.

"Everything will be okay."

Sam sighed, "I'll keep trying."

"You just need to find that one thing that will bring you back. It can be many things. Sight, smell, taste… even memory. Sometimes it may be all at once and when you do… you'll do what you have to do."

Sam looked at her as she stared at him with that look of determination. He then noticed the injuries start to appear on her face. He remembered how that happened and he grimaced at that. He knew she fought back to defend herself but… He put a hand on her injured cheek and rubbed it. He would do what he had to do and break out of this prison.

* * *

"This is… foolish and yet…"

"You think he can reach Sam."

Castiel turned from his musings as he looked at the grizzled elder hunter that was driving the van. They had been driving through the night, following Dean and Haley. There was nothing anyone could say that was going to change Dean's mind from going to see Sam even though the very real possibility of death was nigh. And yet… "I feel… that something will happen. Because of Angela."

"I doubt that. If she is doing the going along thing… we might have to be prepared that there is nothing we will be able to do about it." Bobby didn't want to be a pessimist but if his favorite idjit was not resisting then they really couldn't expect much from her. As much as he wanted to believe that she had a plan hidden up her sleeve, he didn't want to get his hopes up. Sam lost his battle and he didn't want to think about her losing hers.

Castiel heard the words and the tone. He didn't blame Bobby for his thoughts or feelings. Everything that his charge had done was not consistent with the past. Did she figure that Lucifer would know about the rings and hence why she was acting so different? "She, like the Winchesters, have a surprising record of overcoming the odds. I have confidence she will do the same here."

Bobby made a sound at that. It was typical of people to follow Angela once she got them going. She could bolster a group so high that they believed they could do it despite the odds against them. She had been doing that before they went to meet the devil head on and she almost had him convinced that Sam could do it. As he said though, there wasn't that much hope to begin with. But knowing her she said that a little was enough; that by holding onto it, you could do anything.

It sounded ridiculous even now and yet Bobby didn't have the heart to tell her otherwise. Then again maybe she did know that there wasn't much to go on but she was holding onto that small chance. But it seemed to be contradictory to her behavior now. She bolstered them and now she wasn't resisting and let the devil take her? It was like the last bit of sanity had gone to chaos and he didn't know what to do with it.

"This is similar to a tactic she did in the past."

Bobby glanced at Castiel with a raised brow, "Really?"

"Yes. I believe it is still talked about particularly amongst the Centurion," Castiel confirmed as he looked ahead at the road. "It is when she helped to capture the one called Noriega."

Bobby had heard of the things she had done. Some of it was a bit out there considering that it was history and the near blasé way she was about certain people… He didn't have a hard time believing it but the idea that she may have done something similar to this back then… It seemed a little farfetched in his mind and that Castiel knew… "She was in Panama?"

"One of many places but yes. She was there for another reason but saw the bigger threat." Castiel paused a bit to think about his words before adding, "She ended up looking like she was going to be a part of the opposition but then she revealed her hand."

"Most would call that a double cross."

"Perhaps but in the end her going to the other side allowed her to sabotage them and bring in Noriega."

Bobby thought about it somewhat and asked, "Didn't she almost expose everything in that?"

"It was a possibility when she came up with the plan. But after assessing all options, that was the best course."

Bobby took in Castiel's stoic profile. He wasn't going to doubt the angel's word since he knew Angela well and from hints of conversation, he had come out of the garrison to see her at times and always came when she was in trouble. "So you're saying that her going with Lucifer is another one of those plans of hers?"

"I was skeptical at first along with Kesset but we both believe that she has something in mind with what she is doing."

Bobby thought about it. If Angela was planning something, she would have to do something that would throw everyone off including Satan if she was going to get close enough to do what she needed to do. She would be herself but then again not herself. But Sam wasn't suspicious of anything. Her just accepted what was happening and what she was doing. "But that doesn't make sense since Sam wasn't acting like he would."

"I noticed that as well. Perhaps they are in it together," Castiel mused. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he looked out through the windshield. "But that wouldn't help since Lucifer would have access to every single one of Sam's thoughts and emotions."

"Dammit he would figure out that Sam and Angie are together. No wonder he took her. She knew that and went willingly." Bobby's mind went on overdrive as he thought that one out. He had warned Sam about Satan poking at every chink in the armor. That was the prize there.

"Highly unlikely."

"You wanna run that by me?" Bobby looked at Castiel like he was the insane one there.

"It is… highly unlikely," Castiel repeated as he looked at the grizzled hunter. "Unlikely in that Angela would have taken precautions."

"Hello, she didn't do anything."

Castiel could understand why Bobby would be acting his way. He cared about his charge like a father would a daughter. And Angela accepted it, finding comfort in it. That much was evident when she had been reduced to her child size. He replied, "The blood she had Sam drink. I believe she gave him her own blood and she might have cast a spell on it."

"A blood spell?"

"Yes. One that could prevent Lucifer from finding out the exact nature of their relationship."

Bobby let the words sink in and shook his head. His favorite idjit was something else and what the angel said made sense. She would do anything to protect Sam and Dean from anything and there was no doubt that she knew a couple of things. It shouldn't be a surprise that she would do that but it was because he had been focused on her behavior. He then understood how it would play out. "That and how she's been acting would keep the focus away. Sam would have picked up on that."

"Indeed. The work of the great general."

Bobby made a sound at that. It was rude but he didn't put too much stock in the fact that she was considered a general and all that other crap. She was his Angie and if she had a way, then the least they could do was to make sure it happened and trust her.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thoughts on the drive to Stull Cemetery and Sam feeling the weight of watching Lucifer hurt his girl. Stay tuned for more Light's Evensong...


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Being on the road was nothing to Liam. He had been on the job before and was used to the moving from one motel to the next and living on whatever fare the roadside diners could produce. Then there was the living on tour when he produced his music. So the trip was nothing to him. If he wanted, he could have gone on in his lupine form but carrying what he had would prove to be difficult so the motorcycle it was.

Liam was well aware that he lived up to the stereotype of those badass biker types that wander around on their motorcycles. He certainly wore the leather motorcycle jacket and the t-shirt and jeans. He didn't have the long hair hippies wore but his hair was like a mane. He considered cutting it short but still having the locks long if only to tease Sam with it.

Driving down the lonely highway, he thought about that day nearly a year ago when he first met the Winchesters and her. He had been at the Academy for many years and knew enough about the rotating guest lecturer schedule. She had come before but he never had that much of an opportunity to meet her before and what he had heard was the stuff of legends. And she had a rarity.

 _You and your sister are unique. A rarity among creatures like us but commonplace amongst humans._

His grandmother told him about the rarest of gifts to creatures of the supernatural. He was pretty blasé about it but he respected the gift; the gift of healers. It was rare amongst his kind because creatures were considered of the darkness and humans were considered of the light. It was because of the unique part of any living being and for it to be effective it had to come from deep within.

Healers were born, not made. They were unique because of their ability to heal not only the physical ailments but others that couldn't be seen. Humans said it was because they had big hearts but really it was much more than that. Liam knew that because he spent time researching it once he learned of the reasons why he was able to heal his childhood friend without having to resort to turning him into a creature like him. Donal was long dead and from a work related accident but at least he remained human and that was something that Liam cherished.

He knew she was one the moment he actually met her. It was an inherent thing for healers. They always seemed to know their own kind much like creatures like him knew their own kind, even if they were not full-blooded. He felt the pain that tore the veil and it was like his own heart was ripped out and it told him of someone powerful in that gift. He didn't say anything though since he wasn't sure if she actually knew but she did and she despised herself for having such a beautiful gift. And all because her hands had done nothing but take life away. To heal it, bring it back… to her it was a gift she felt she didn't deserve.

Liam made an adjustment and increased his speed. Perhaps it was dangerous but he had to get where he needed to go and it was a reaction to the thoughts that ran through his head as he thought about the past year or so. He felt the stirrings and he was certain that the others felt it as well. When one of their own was suffering, it was felt more like a sudden bout of sadness but it was fleeting in most cases. He felt it and it spurred him to find answers if only to be ready for what it might mean.

He made it in record time as the first rays of light broke over the horizon. He pulled in front of the house that he would describe as homely. It was the kind that reminded him of his grandmother's hut back on the Emerald Isle. He would be comfortable living in a place like that if he wasn't a school guardian and teacher and the occasional touring artist. He was a lot of things like many of them were if only to live and stay alive.

Leaving his motorcycle out front, he pulled the knapsack he had tied down off and slung it over his shoulder. Looking around the neighborhood, he took stock of everything before stepping down the path to the door. He closed his eyes and gave a sniff around as he raised his fist to knock at the door. He blinked when it opened before he could knock to reveal the owner of the house.

"I was wondering when you would get here."

Liam looked at the human in the bathrobe with a bland expression. "You don't seem surprised I am here."

"I knew you'd come. Perks of being a prophet now that I am seeing more of Absolution."

Liam blinked at the human man. He studied him while reaching out with his other senses. He kept his thoughts to himself as he stood there with a bland expression on his face. He didn't move a muscle to go in or out.

"Can you not do that? You're just as bad as she is."

"My apologies."

"Well are you going to come in?"

"Depends. Do you know what I am?" Liam looked at the man in the eye. His gaze became scrutinizing as he looked at the man.

"You're one of them. The things that go bump in the night."

Liam hummed at that. He then turned to walk away. He had seen enough and decided it wasn't worth the bother. He gave a backwards wave goodbye.

"And you're like her. A healer."

Liam paused and shifted to look back at the man. He narrowed his eyes as he studied him. True he had received a call from him but he wasn't stupid to accept it at face value. He went through measures to make sure that he wasn't going to be targeted. Few knew he was a healer since creatures with the gift were so rare and it wasn't a farfetched bet that they would be targeted for selfish purposes when it was easier to get a human. "You're pretty gutsy for a human. Or is it prophet… Chuck?"

Chuck looked at the werewolf standing on his walkway looking at him with a look that most people would call predatory. It scared the crap out of him but he knew that the werewolf wasn't going to hurt him. That was the thing about the people the vengeful virago associated with that weren't demon stoolies. They were good people and they believed that humans and their kind could coexist even if they had to keep that part of them a secret. "Come on. I called you."

"You did," Liam replied as he turned to face Chuck, "But that doesn't mean that I take it at face value. I've been burned before and it is not a pleasant thing to be getting into." He let his Irish lilt break through.

"You have a friend that you pay a visit to every year when school is let out. You go all the way to County Clare in Ireland."

Liam looked at Chuck, not blinking. "How do you know about Donal?"

Chuck beckoned Liam to come in. He went into his house, leaving the door wide open. Liam looked at the open door and then glanced at his motorcycle. He debated on whether or not to leave but… He looked up at the sky and watched the last of the stars fade away as the sun started to come up. He felt that ominous feeling he had been feeling since the Winchesters walked into his club to take a look around looking for Pestilence. Actually he had sensed it beforehand. It only strengthened when they walked in.

 _Sometimes you have to go on a little faith my lad. You'll find that one person that will teach you that and you'll see._

 _Saw that in the leaves, Nana?_

Liam sighed and then turned towards the house. He entered as he shouldered his bag and closed the door behind him. He looked around to find that the house looked lived in but it was a mess. He could even smell the body odor from one too many missed showers. Americans would call it a man cave. He called it in need of Febreeze. "You're not much into housekeeping are you?"

"Been busy."

"I can see that." Liam looked around until his eyes lighted on a painting. He recognized who it was right away. It had him want to smirk since it was a younger version but still the same expression. He gestured at the painting, "Seems we both have a liking for dark haired beauties with a mischievous nature."

"Not you too."

Liam chuckled as he moved through the house and headed to where Chuck was sitting at a computer. He looked at the junk spread around and noticed the magazine with the advertisement. His lip curled at the image as his fingers ran over it. "Seems like you've really been busy." He held up the magazine and grinned at the embarrassed look Chuck was getting.

"All right fine, poke at it. It's not like…"

Liam tossed the magazine aside and straightened up. "Hey I'm just a man like you. Well… mostly like you. Now are ya gonna tell my why you called me?"

"You're not even going to ask how I got your number?" Chuck looked at the werewolf wondering if there was something wrong with him.

"Why? You're a prophet and if ya know the aingeal then I'm not going to question it considering you are exactly like the blokes she tends to associate with." Liam shrugged his shoulders as he put his hands in his jacket pocket.

Chuck took that answer. He wasn't used to dealing with forceful beings or beings that gave that look that said don't mess with me but they were actually quite decent. Creatures like the werewolf though… it still gave him the chills since there was something different about them that was exciting like Mistress Magda or dangerous and that was attractive in of itself. "Okay then at least we know that. Um…"

Liam sighed and dropped his bag on the table. He began opening it and pulled out the book that he had found and held onto. "You want to know about this?" He held it up but didn't let go of it.

"A little but mostly I wanted to meet you," Chuck admitted. He stammered a bit but he knew that he couldn't be too squeamish about this.

"Me? And why is that?" Liam waved the book around but maintained his grip. If he wanted to he could throw it and it would do considerable damage to a person or to a wall. "I figured you'd want to know this and can relate since it is telling a story right now as we speak."

To make his point, Liam put the book down and opened it. He found the pages that were being newly written as they were being done. He pointed at it and said, "There. Now I know that my friend the aingeal is in trouble and suffering. If anything it is giving a headache to me and no doubt making others wonder about what is going on."

"So you're one of them."

"What?" Liam looked at Chuck. He noticed that something was off about the prophet and frowned at that. "What are you talking about?"

"You're one of them. Like her. A healer."

"Now you're daft." It was automatic to deny it. Liam had seen firsthand the consequences of what the other side did to healers that were like him, a creature of the dark and a healer. He was overly cautious and urged his sister to do the same but it wasn't like Fiona listened. She helped everyone no matter who or what and she loved telling him how his aingeal had rocks for brains.

"You don't need to hide it with me," Chuck said as he walked towards the werewolf. "I know what you are and that you are the closest thing to understanding what she will mean to the people of this world."

Liam raised his brow. He got the feeling that there was more to this than he bargained for when he agreed to come here. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I know that you are more sensitive than your kind and the humans born with this talent. It's a rarity among rarities," Chuck explained. "As I finish this story a new one is being written which you have there. This is merely the beginning of what began the day that the binds were taken off."

"You are not making much sense but then again you are more than what you claim," Liam replied after studying Chuck for a time. He seemed more calm and firm than the stuttering fool he had seen before. "Seems like we all have our secrets."

"Indeed."

"Well," Liam said after he looked around. "What do I need to do? Go after her?"

"No. Let it play out. But you will need to be ready when she comes asking questions."

* * *

High noon didn't look like the high noon shown in the movies. The sky was gray outside and seemed to reflect the mood of what was to come. Lucifer looked around at the brush and the tombstones. Humans were such delicate and fragile things and they had a fascination with death. They spent more on funerals than they did on anything else.

"It's mostly because death is the great unknown. They don't know what happens afterwards."

Lucifer rolled his eyes as he looked at Angela. She was merely standing there as she looked around the cemetery. She had an almost peaceful expression on her face as she closed her eyes and let the wind touch her face. She had opened her eyes slightly and shot him a wry grin like she knew something he didn't. He retorted, "And you do?"

"I died and almost died multiple times. The last time I remember quite vividly," she replied as she turned to look at Lucifer. She had folded her hands in front of her and stood there looking like a little girl. "And it was a gift considering what I am."

"It is where you belong," Lucifer pointed out. "It's what you should be striving for."

"Why is that?"

Lucifer looked at her and took in the fading bruises. He had to hand it to her rapid healing abilities. She didn't even need blood to do that unless he did something like run her blade through her. She was magnificent in his view and she landed a few good clouts on him as well. It had him surprised since he wasn't sure she would have the guts to actually punch him since he was wearing Sam's meat suit and yet she did. She gave everything she had and didn't hold back. It only added to the oddity of her since he was still confused as to what she was doing.

Stepping closer to her and running his fingers through her hair, Lucifer looked at her, took in her scent. It was intoxicating. "To be where you belong. Where you are from."

"I actually missed the day they taught existentialism in philosophy but I can go into Aristotle. For some odd reason I can make him easy to understand." Angela gave a bland expression as she looked at Lucifer. She didn't resist him touching her but she drew the line at being beaten to a pulp. The bruises and the fat lip said that as much and there were a couple of red patches on Lucifer where she had let him know that. She raised her hand to remove Lucifer's.

Lucifer grabbed her by the wrist and held it up. He squeezed hard enough to leave a marking later and stared at her. "I really don't know what game you are playing but you are here to witness what must happen."

"You say that but you don't really want it to happen do you?" Angela stared long and hard back at Lucifer. Her wrist hurt since his grip was tight but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her wince in pain. "You still want to talk to your brother."

Lucifer looked at her. He had to be hurting her and yet she wasn't crying out. It only proved that she had a high threshold for pain. "I love my brother. I begged him to join me and he rejected me."

"Rejected you because he was the obedient soldier. Not because he was a good son." Angela stared at Lucifer as the wind whipped around them. She knew that this could probably be counted as resistance if someone wanted to poke at that but resistance to her was to literally fight back and help Sam break through. She wasn't doing that; the only thing she said was that she had faith in him. She would be there but she refused to be Lucifer's punching bag on this. "You weren't much of one either."

Lucifer snarled and grabbed her by the neck like he had done earlier. He heard her gasp from the sudden impact but there was no fear in her eyes. She had her hands on his wrist but she wasn't fighting him. She held still and looked at him with that defiant look he knew so well. "I knew you were up to something."

Lucifer would have said more but something caught his attention. It was light flutter of wings that had him turning. Still holding onto Angela by the neck, he turned to see his brother Michael in his chosen vessel standing there. He sighed.

"Well this is a nice party," Angela choked out in a fit of humor. "Two angels and a dhampir walk into a cemetery. Sounds like the start of a bad joke." She swallowed when Lucifer tightened his grip slightly on her neck.

Lucifer looked at his brother. "It's good to see you Michael."

Michael looked at his brother, holding the Malachi by the neck. This was not going to go the way that it was written but… "It's good to see you. It's been too long."

"Can you believe it's finally here?"

Michael sighed at that and took a couple of steps forward. "No. Not really." He glanced at Angela as she held onto Lucifer's wrist and she looked like she was having a little difficulty breathing.

"You know it doesn't have to be like this," Angela managed to choke out. "It's why I'm here. To talk to the both of you."

Lucifer looked at her and started to squeeze tighter. "I knew it."

"Stop, Lucifer. You know you can't hurt her." Michael held up his hand in a placating gesture. "You can't kill her."

"Why not?"

"You know why."

Lucifer glared at Angela as she winced slightly from the increased pressure. He could see her gasping for air but she was still standing. Most would have passed out by now but she didn't. Pursing his lips he flung her away and watched as she landed on the ground with a thud. "Fine. It's not like I don't know what you are up to."

"You still don't," Angela coughed as she rubbed her neck. She slowly got to her feet. "Neither of you know a damn thing nor understand it."

"And you don't either, so be silent and be ready to play your role," Michael said firmly.

"I am doing my role," Angela spat back. She stood up firm, well aware that she was at the mercy of an archangel's power. "And I am well aware that I am only a means to you. You are not a good son either."

That was enough to have Michael send her flying to the side. She landed hard on the ground with a grunt that nearly winded her. She pushed herself slowly to her feet and she turned to look at the two angels that were looking at her before Michael looked at Lucifer and asked, "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Lucifer replied. "A part of me wishes that we didn't have to do this."

"Yeah. Me too."

Lucifer realized that Michael felt the same and begged the question, "Then why are we?"

"Oh you know why. I have no choice after what you did," Michael spat back.

"Oh please. There is always a choice."

Michael and Lucifer turned to see Angela back on her feet and walking back towards them. Lucifer didn't know whether or not to think that she was stupid or suicidal. He then looked at his brother and decided to go with it. "What if it's not my fault?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Michael narrowed his eyes at Lucifer. He thought it convenient that Angela wasn't speaking up but then again it was wise not to. This was between him and Lucifer.

"Think about it," Lucifer pointed out, "Dad made everything. Which means He _made_ me who I am. God _wanted_ the devil."

"So?" Michael didn't want to hear this but he was going to indulge.

"So, why? Why make us fight? I just can't figure out the point."

"Maybe there is no point to this," Angela said. She had been waiting and gauging the angels' reactions. Many have said that it was one of her best qualities; the ability to know when to speak and when to be silent. "Lucifer, if it is true that God made you who you are, and if he wanted the devil to exist, it was because he trusted you. I know the bible gets more wrong than right but from my understanding you were a favored son and to give something that would bear pain and suffering… he must have trusted you. Maybe it was never His intention for you to fight." She shrugged her shoulders at that.

Lucifer scoffed at that and pointed at Michael while looking at her, "We're going to fight and kill each other. And for what? One of Dad's tests?" He made a slight mocking sound at that. He then gestured at Angela and added, "You who have been put to the test and come out like this…" He made a scoffing sound. "We don't even know the answer."

"That's right, we don't know," Angela pointed out. "We have the rule book and maybe the end result will happen but there is still a choice. You're brothers. Walk away." She looked at the pair of them. It didn't matter if they acknowledged her presence or not.

Michael looked aside and took a breath, "I'm sorry but I can't do that. I'm a good son and I have my orders."

"Good son my ass," Angela spat out in her typical fashion. "A good son wouldn't have done the things he has done to bring the humans he was asked to bow down to." She shook her head at that. "Obedience is not what makes a good son. Love and honor to your father."

"Do you even know what that means? Do you think I'm going to rebel?" Michael looked at Lucifer and Angela.

"Might do you some good. Would make you less of an asshole." Angela crossed her arms over her chest and looked long and hard at Michael. She shifted to look at both angels. "Love and honor to your father means being able to question when something doesn't seem right but also in a respectful manner." She approached Michael. "You say you're a good son?" She scoffed at him, "At this point anybody would be a better son than you."

Michael had enough and lifted his hand. He raised Angela up and started to invisibly choke her. "You talk about things you have yet to understand little sister." He then looked at Lucifer. "And I am not going to rebel. You haven't changed little brother. Always blaming everyone but yourself. You betrayed me, betrayed all of us and made Dad leave."

"No one makes Dad do anything," Lucifer spat back, "And let her go. At least she's honest about everything."

"You're a monster Lucifer and I have to kill you and she is going to watch. She is going to watch what happens when you don't follow orders!" Michael looked at Angela and lessened the choking but she wasn't still able to speak.

"If that's the way it's gonna be… I'd like to see you try," Lucifer replied with narrowed eyes.

* * *

 **A/N:** Liam meets Chuck and senses that there is more going on and Michael and Lucifer meet on the battlefield. Stay tuned for the conclusion of Light's Evensong...


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

 _If that's the way it's gonna be… I'd like to see you try._

Angela put her hands to her neck, trying to break free from Michael's grip but she could barely breathe. She had trained on how to do that but a person couldn't do it indefinitely. At least Michael didn't want to kill her immediately. Still she was not in a good position. That was when she heard it and couldn't help herself and started to chuckle.

The roar of the Impala and Rock of Ages playing was enough to distract Michael enough and for Angela to break free. She dropped to her feet with a dull thud and held herself up on her hands and knees as she took large gaping breaths. In between she was chuckling at what was happening and in relief that Dean finally got it. She was also laughing at the fact that both angels looked surprised and dumbfounded at the whole thing. She managed to get to her feet and take a deep full breath as Dean popped out of the car with Haley and said, "Howdy boys."

Neither angel looked happy that Dean was there along with a juju witch. Haley took in the scene and noticed Angela standing there looking like the cat that caught the canary while rubbing her neck. She definitely had this in mind or found the whole thing hysterical. She looked at the angels and asked, "Sorry, are we interrupting something?"

Angela shook her head with a slight smile and started moving silently. Things could go south and she wanted to be ready just in case. She flexed her hands and made the bones crack as she readied herself to do what she must.

Dean took in the scene. He had spotted his girl being suspended and nearly having the life choked out of her and he knew he had to act. He drove in and found that his girl was laughing at the whole thing. He didn't know if she was crazy or she knew that he had read her letter… still. He stepped forward and looked at Lucifer, "You and me. We need to talk."

Lucifer looked at Michael and looked at Angela who was standing by and smirked as he looked back at the elder Winchester, "Dean. Even for you, this is a whole new mountain of stupid. Expected of her but not you."

"I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to Sam." Dean looked at Lucifer with a firm look as he prayed that his words would get through to Sam.

"You're no longer the vessel, Dean," Michael entered, "You got no right to be here."

"Says who?" Haley looked at Michael with piercing gaze. "This is his brother we're talking about."

Dean waved at Haley for her to back off as he turned to look at Michael and said, "Adam if you're in there. I'm sorry."

"Adam isn't home right now."

"Well then you're next on my list buttercup," Dean retorted. "But right now I need five minutes with him." He gestured at his brother's meat.

"You listen you little maggot." Michael didn't like being shunted aside and he was tired of the Winchester's interference. He walked towards Dean, "You are no longer a part of this story." He was going to teach Dean Winchester a lesson.

"Hey ass-butt!"

It was unexpected to see Michael be covered in flames. Angela blinked at that when she realized that Castiel had thrown a Molotov cocktail of holy fire at the angel. What was even more surprising was what the angel had said and she looked at him with a raised brow, "Ass-butt? Seriously?"

Castiel shrugged his shoulders and replied, "He'll be back and upset but you got your five minutes." He panted as he got over the fact that he had an adrenaline rush, something he wasn't familiar with and wasn't sure how to react.

Lucifer though wasn't happy with the whole situation. He rounded on Castiel with narrowed eyes, "Castiel. Did you just Molotov my brother with holy fire?" He watched as Castiel tried to play it off and badly. "No one dicks with Michael but _me_." He snapped his fingers.

Angela felt it rather than saw Castiel explode in a firecracker of human soup. Her shoulder throbbed and she couldn't hold it in. She grabbed her shoulder and dropped to a knee, crying out in pain. She gritted her teeth as she hissed her breaths in and out. She heard someone hiss her name but she was focused on Lucifer. She hissed her breath that it almost sounded angry. Her right hand began to turn into a fist and the tattoo on her wrist started to glow.

Dean wanted to rush over to Angela but given what he had seen Lucifer do in Sam's body… it made him nervous but he was determined. He looked at his brother's body, "Sammy, can you hear me?"

Lucifer, still on his high of being pissed slowly turned towards Dean. "You know, I tried to be nice. For Sammy's sake." He walked up towards Dean trying hard not to get overexcited. "But you… are such a pain." He put his fingers on the lapels of Dean's jacket. "In my ass."

Dean had been thrown plenty of times but this hurt the motherlode. He collided with the hood of the Impala and cracked the windshield. He grunted at that since he was sure he was going to have a couple of bruises for his trouble. It was then that he heard the gunshot and looked.

Bobby had been shocked at what happened to Castiel. It was all of a sudden with what Lucifer did to Dean and he reacted. He pulled the Colt and fired. He knew it wasn't going to work but it was better than nothing to slow down the dick of an angel. He fired again when the devil faced him and he could see that look of anger as the angel raised his hand and twisted to snap his neck.

"No!" Dean tried to get up but couldn't. At that moment he saw electricity and realized that it was Haley. "Hale, don't!"

Lucifer had turned to see the juju witch powering up. He raised his hand to give her the same treatment he did with the old man when his wrist was grabbed. He turned to see Angela looking at him her teeth showing like she was heaving but her eyes were narrowed and glowing. She looked at Lucifer and said, "You will not touch her."

Lucifer was surprised at the reaction and even more so that she had been able to do that and fling him back. It wasn't far but it was enough to make him land on his behind. He sat up and looked at her and grinned, "I always knew you were capable of more than you ever showed. And it's wasted on them."

"Maybe," Angela replied as she let her power recede, "But your beef is with me and Dean and the man would like to talk to Sam."

Lucifer got to his feet grinning. "You really shouldn't have let go of your power."

Angela stood there. She had heard it before and took the sudden punch that came at her. She had moved enough to avoid what would be considered a death blow but it was enough to knock her down. She countered by sticking out her leg but Lucifer grabbed it and brought his elbow down on her thigh and she grunted out before he flung her leg aside and moving her body along the ground. She watched as Lucifer grabbed Dean by the leg and pull him off the car while at the same time giving Haley a backhand that knocked her over when she tried to stop him.

Dean felt the blood in his mouth after Lucifer punched him in the face. He spit it out, not caring that he had gotten it on his baby. He swallowed since Castiel and Bobby were gone and Angela… She had come through like she always did. She protected Haley and was willing to fight Lucifer to reach Sam. He shouldn't have doubted her but now was not the time for this. He had to get through to Sam. "Sammy? Are you in there?"

"Oh, he's in here alright," Lucifer replied before giving another punch to Dean's face. "And he's gonna feel the snap of your bones." He grabbed Dean and punched him, knocking him to the ground. "Every single one of them."

Lucifer advanced towards Dean and hauled him up and slammed him against the car. "And we're gonna take our time." He had enough and started punching him across the face.

Angela had managed to get to her feet and looked over at Haley. She was fine. A headache maybe later but she was alive. She turned her gaze towards Lucifer and charged at him and grabbed him by the waist and by brute strength flung him off. "Enough," she demanded.

"It will never be enough cause I'm gonna make Sam feel it when I choke the life out of you." Lucifer swung at Angela to find it blocked. He tried again but it was blocked. He kept at it and managed to get a couple of punches in across the face, causing the skin to swell and split.

Angela spit out the blood that was in her mouth. "Sam, Dean wants to talk with you," she said as she panted.

Lucifer bared his teeth as he rolled his eyes in annoyance. "You really," he punched her in the face. He was surprised that she grabbed the next one and pulled him into an arm lock. He looked at her and said, "You really don't know when to quit do you?"

"Not really."

"Too bad because I will make Sammy suffer your death at his hands. I know about you." Lucifer whispered the last bit. It gave what he needed and he shoved her hard. She literally flew into the side of the car, hitting her head. He looked at her and advanced towards her and was surprised that she managed to move and pull herself towards Dean. "Fine. Have it your way."

Angela managed to get to Dean but Lucifer was already wailing on him with punches left and right to the face until he collapsed. Despite the headache, she pulled herself towards Dean and held him in a protective stance. She may not be able to win this fight but she would do what she could and never leave either brother alone.

"It's okay Sammy," Dean muttered. His face hurt and he knew that he was probably something out of one of those boxer movies but he was still there. He was going to stay there and be with Sam. He made a slight humming sound when he felt Angela's arms around him. "It's okay. I'm here. We're here." He looked up at his brother's possessed body and said, "I'm not leaving you. Me and Angie are not leaving you."

Angela looked up and stared at Lucifer. She had one card left to play. She took a breath and channeled her power creating a slight breeze. She pushed herself to a kneeling position and stared at Lucifer long and hard as he raised his fist. She stood up and he backed away as she held up her hand and looked at the angel. She looked at him and said, "Sam, remember, no matter what happens… I forgive you. Always and forever."

Dean watched as his possessed brother stepped back the moment Angela stood up. He saw the glowing outlines of her tattoos and felt the breeze. It was calm, gentle but there was power behind it. Lucifer had to feel it since he was moving backwards. The fist was still raised like he was going to punch and she was in the line of fire for a killing blow. Was that her plan?

It wasn't Angela's plan at all. She didn't want to die. But she would be by Sam's side. She held back the vessel and watched as Sam's eyes dilate. She had felt the clouds move and the sun hit. She held the vessel at bay, staring at him, aware that if Lucifer broke free, he could kill her. She was ready for that and if she died… then it was to be.

 _There are three great things in life my little bambina. You are capable of all three but the greatest comes from your heart and soul._

 _It's your greatest weapon Cat._

 _Nothing means anything if you can't forgive yourself._

To Dean it seemed like an eternity as he saw his girl and his brother's body stand there in a face off. It was then that he noticed the fist Sam's body had formed started to fade. It opened and then all of a sudden it dropped and Sam's body staggered back, gasping. Dean watched as the last puff of breeze blew gently back at him as Angela lowered her hand and stared at the body. Her features relaxed a little but she was still standing firm.

"It's gonna be okay Dean. It's gonna be okay."

Dean looked up and realized that his brother, Sam, was back. He felt a weight being lifted off. The load was still heavy but it was lightened a little.

"I got him."

Angela breathed a little as she stood there and called, "Sam."

Sam had been gasping for air as he put a firm lid on Lucifer. He had him. He looked at Dean on the ground and felt guilt. He watched it happen and he watched what happened to her. He looked at her as she looked at him with a passive gaze but when she looked at him, she gave a gentle smile. It encouraged him to pull out the rings and he tossed them onto the ground and recited the spell to open the gate.

Angela looked at the ground as it rumbled and the hole opened up to reveal the entrance to hell and the cage. The wind picked up and started whipping things around. She looked up at Sam and watched as he looked at Dean. She knew that Sam was going to jump in. He was scared but he was doing what he had to do. She almost wanted to laugh at the irony of that since that was her line in most things.

Dean looked up at his brother. He knew that this was going to be good bye. There was a lot he wanted to say. It was funny how people thought they had all the time in the world. When it came down to it, you really didn't. He could understand a little more why Angela did the things she did. It was because she had seen how fleeting life was. Now he was going to watch his little brother put Lucifer back in the box and end the Apocalypse. He watched as Sam made ready to charge.

"Sam."

All heads turned to see that Michael had returned. He looked pissed just as Castiel said as he looked at Sam and said, "It's not gonna end this way! Step back!"

Sam looked at Michael, wearing his younger brother. There was no way he wasn't going to go through with this. "You're gonna have to make me!"

"I have to fight my brother, Sam," Michael replied. "Here and now! It's my destiny!"

Sam heard that speech before. They all had. But now was the time to fix things. He looked at Dean and then at Angela. He took one last look at her face and committed it to memory before he closed his eyes and prepared to fall in. He was startled when Michael grabbed him by the arm to pull him back but he grabbed him and used his full weight to pull Michael into the cage with him.

Dean watched as his brother fell in but it was Angela that caught his attention. He watched as she walked towards the edge of the hole with her hand outstretched. She looked determined. "Angie," he called out.

Angela paused and turned to look at Dean. She took in his broken appearance but that didn't matter. Looking at the man that was her big brother she gave a full genuine smile before turning back and with a spring, she leapt into the hole with her arms spread wide like she was going to fly, eyes closed. She fell with a smile on her face.

Dean tried to call out her name but no sound came out. His mouth fell open and he watched as Cerebus sprung forwards and followed her in just before the gate closed. There was a flash of light and instead of the hole, there was the ground and the rings glowing a fiery molten look on the ground. But that didn't matter. Sam was gone. She was gone. Dean closed his eyes as Zeppelin and Moira with Xander came out and wept.

* * *

Liam looked around the place as he packed up his things. He didn't mind the mess since in the end it was inconsequential. He blinked as he tried to keep the tears from falling. This was the most emotional that he had ever felt. And he knew why.

 _Endings are impossible. You try to tie up every loose end, but you never can. There's always going to be some holes…_

"Damn right there are holes," Liam muttered as he finished putting things in order. He paused and looked at the painting that was on the wall.

He had felt her pain yes but there was relief as well and strangely enough, happiness. It was there for a fleeting moment and then it was gone. It was like it disappeared from the face of the earth. It wasn't death otherwise he would have felt it as such. Maybe not in the magnitude like when she felt loss, extreme loss. No. It was just not there.

Liam ran a hand through his hair. He had spent some time with Chuck as he finished writing his last story. It was an interesting conversation and he found more than he had bargained for by making the decision to come here. He learned a few things and knew that he was going to have to do more work if he was going to be what Chuck said he was going to be. Maybe he was being a bit optimistic but he believed.

Snorting at his last thought, Liam looked at the painting on the wall. It was a younger version of his aingeal. And yet it was still her. There was the same smirk and that twinkle that made it look like she knew something about you that you thought for sure was hidden. He looked at nothing in particular as he remembered when they first met and they bonded over music. How she laughed when he made a bad joke and how she always called him when she needed answers if she didn't want to bother anyone else or how she accepted his call.

 _Since it's the ending, it all has to add up to something…_

It had been done. The world was saved. That much Liam knew. He could smile a little at that. The Winchesters were rough around the edges but they were essentially good people. They all were and they were just trying to do the best they could do with what they had laid out in front of them. That was all anyone could do and Liam figured that she understood that better than anyone.

She was a mystery to him. Yet, he felt a little saddened that he couldn't be the one to unravel it. The lucky bloke that got that job was Sam. Maybe Dean a little but it was mostly Sam and to be honest, Liam didn't mind one bit. He gave a slight smile as he turned off the lamps in the house. He paused only to look at the painting and he muttered something in Gaelic that would have had her laughing.

The last lamp lit was the one near the computer. He looked at the empty chair and gave a slight smile. "Aye I'll do as ye asked, Chuck but I still have reservations. Then again I guess you knew that." He chuckled as he shut the computer off.

The book was where he left it and it was open to the pages that filled in the blanks while he was there. He peered at it and watched as the words appeared, describing him looking at the book. It was enough to make the average bloke's head hurt and maybe spontaneously combust or something. He had read what had happened after he felt that feeling. It confirmed what he knew what was going to happen and he let it happen.

Liam knew that there were some things that one didn't mess with. There was a saying that you can't run away from fate. That implied that everyone and everything had a purpose and destiny in life. Maybe that was so. Maybe there was a grand ending for everyone but the way to get there… that was the great adventure. And it was the fate of all things; there was a time of prosperity and then beyond that it was unknown. It was how one made it.

Looking at the book, Liam smiled and closed it. There would come a time when this book would help others. It seemed that here there really wasn't an ending but like he had told the juju witch Haley… that it wasn't the end but merely the start of another chapter. Just this chapter ended. The next one… if and when it began, he was going to be ready for it.

Turning off the last light, Liam packed his bag. He had no idea that this time next week, he'd be giving a charity concert for kids with cancer but that was kind of the point. He didn't know that Dean and Haley would move in together to build a life together. It only proved the point that life doesn't stop. It kept on going.

Locking up Liam stepped onto the walkway and paused to look up at the evening sky. The light was fading into the bluish purple and the first stars were becoming visible. It was that time of day when the evening mass was held. He remembered attending when he was a boy in Ireland with his grandmother. She called it evensong and he later learned that was what the English called their evening service. He liked it and he liked attending mass with her until she died of old age and, according to family legend, after she tore a wendigo a new one that the poor thing set itself on fire.

Thinking about it, Liam couldn't help but sing one of the hymns that he remembered from evensong. It seemed fitting as he hummed and muttered the words to himself as he walked towards his motorcycle and strapped his pack to it. Once it was strapped on, he straddled the bike and looked around once more before deciding on which direction to go. Actually he already knew where he needed to go, he was just deciding the best way to get there and he took his time just wanting to look around as he put his helmet on.

Picking a direction, he started his bike and pushed off to head down the street. He picked up speed once he got to the highway and took off. He bent low over the bike and thought about what he had done and what he needed to do. He didn't understand it but he would be there for a friend. That was what she was, a friend that he admired greatly and loved. He knew she would be back from wherever she went. It was as Chuck had written on the very last chapter. He said that endings were hard but then again it really wasn't the end.

Spurred on by this thought, Liam increased the throttle to gain speed. Feeling the thrill of the speed, he couldn't help but give a slight smile. She would definitely be back. That much he was sure of and when she did come back, he would be there when she needed him as well as others. Things had a tendency to work out one way or another.

~0~0~0~0~

 _To My Big Brother Dean,_

 _Sam made me promise that if everything worked out and the devil was put back into the cage, that I was to not go poking at the cage. And I don't intend to. He is right and I stand by him. It's why I am not resisting._

 _But I am making another promise. This time it's to you. My father told me that there are three great things in life: faith, hope and love. My goal was to give you all three once it became clear to me that you meant more than my other strays did; the equivalent of Bobby, Ellen, Jo… your mother._

 _I know that there were things that didn't make things smoothly between us but it never once changed how I feel about you. And if I were there, I'd give you a kiss on the cheek and pinch it for good measure. You really have been a big brother to me._

 _So I make this promise to you, brother. Sam will never be alone while in the cage. I will stay by him and maybe find some way to come back to you without setting the devil free. I know that it may seem selfish and that would be right but… I am doing this because it is right. I choose you, Sam, my family and in the end… maybe that is all that matters._

 _So don't worry about it. It's going to be okay. That I promise with all my heart to you, Big Brother._

 _Love from your Sister,_

 _Angela_

* * *

 **A/N:** And that's a wrap on season four of Chronicles. Sam and Angie are in the cage and Dean is topside. What will happen next? Stay tuned...


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